On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine; Ukraine did not invade Russia. By their own admission Russia expected the war to last one week. Here we are nine months in and the war rages on. Many thousands dead and wounded, with incalculable property damage. Some experts believe it is just the beginning with no end in sight. One thing is certain: Putin and his associates made a colossal miscalculation which affects everyone, not just Ukraine.
As per UN OCHA report from November 16, 2022
9.3 million people require food and livelihood assistance.
Some 14.5 million people in Ukraine are estimated to need health assistance.
Some 3.4 million Ukrainian children need child-protection interventions.
4.1 million people in Ukraine need support with emergency shelter and essential household items.
Up to 16 million people in Ukraine need water, sanitation and hygiene assistance. These include communities living in areas where water and waste-water infrastructure has been damaged, energy supply disrupted, and internally displaced people in collective centres and host communities.
The demand for humanitarian aid will increase in 2023: food, medical supplies, clothing, hygiene items and necessities for children. The numbers in the orphanages will increase as will the need for hospital beds. The Russians will continue to shell civilian infrastructure (heat and light) from the safety of their own territories, submarines, and naval fleet. They view this strategy as their best hope for victory which will lead to a greater demand for humanitarian aid. They will not succeed.
Over the past nine months UkraineNow.org has built infrastructure and developed partnerships to fill the pipeline with humanitarian aid. This would not have been possible without your support. More importantly, the brave men and women of the Ukrainian armed forces must be given the tools they need to succeed. Despite the recent liberation of Kherson, the Russians continue to assault Ukrainian civilians in Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporozhzhia; battles continue at Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Svatove in Luhansk region, and Avdiivka in Donetsk region. If the Russians are not stopped, the humanitarian catastrophe will grow exponentially. We hope the Free World continues its support of Ukraine so this barbaric conflict ends with a victory for freedom and Ukraine can resume a “normal” existence.
Slava Ukraine, Slava to the Heroes.
Main photo: Collage from Bakhumt in November 2022; photos by our partners Charity Foundation "Liutyi"