As the IRC continues its winter needs assessment in five oblasts, the initial results show that 25% of respondents did not have access to sufficient heating at the time of the interview, while 61.3% reported that their houses were in need of repair. The renewed waves of shelling severely impacted energy infrastructure and knocked out power in major cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv, home to some of IRC’s teams, plunging vast parts of the country into darkness.
The power, electricity, heating, and water outages caused by ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure are continuing to impact millions of people across Ukraine and severely impede humanitarian activities on the ground. With no internet or phone network, humanitarian workers are unable to communicate with local partners, suppliers, and clients for long hours, which further hinders the delivery of life-saving assistance.
Michael Despines, IRC’s Regional Director for the Ukraine Crisis, said: “Our teams are determined to stay and deliver, amidst blackouts and freezing winter temperatures. To date, thousands of people in Ukraine have received IRC’s emergency kits of basic essential items, including sleeping bags and warm blankets. One client told us the blankets distributed by the IRC are very useful to the families when they need to seek refuge in the bomb shelters, ‘because it’s cold there, especially when there’s no electricity.’
”Our clients repeatedly tell us they are worried about making it through the winter months. People’s capacity to cope with cold is further impaired by the destruction and failure of critical infrastructure, lack of heating and electricity, and the trauma of living under constant shelling. We are seriously concerned that these compounded factors will lead to a serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation and spark further displacement – and increase vulnerabilities of those who are forced to stay”.
On top of conflict-related destruction, low temperatures can cause damage to power lines and failure of heating systems, putting the entire population at even more risk. 25% of people who have spoken do not have access to sufficient heating. Over 60% reported their houses have been damaged, as the current weather conditions and ongoing shelling make it impossible to repair both individual homes and collective shelters for the displaced people.
Robust international support has prevented the worst-case scenario from occurring in Ukraine, but that will only remain true as long as donors continue to adequately support the humanitarian response. IRC is in a race against the clock as the temperatures plummet across Ukraine – people are freezing and need to do more.
