Weekly Update #137
October 14, 2024

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION OVERVIEW

Between June and July, an escalation in hostilities in front-line areas and attacks across Ukraine killed and injured civilians, including children, and damaged civilian infrastructure. In particular, June and July saw the largest number of civilian casualties since October 2022, at 1,237, and had the highest number of casualties among children, according to the Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (HRMMU). Donetska and Kharkivska oblasts in the east accounted for most civilian casualties, with Donetska Oblast particularly impacted. Incidents with civilian casualties were reported in the occupied areas of Ukraine in the east and south of the country but have not been independently verified. Hostilities also continued to disrupt critical services and destroy livelihoods, especially for people living close to the front line.

Attacks in large urban centres of Dnipro, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, as well as other cities, caused multiple civilian casualties and damage to homes, hospitals and schools. In particular, Dnipro — the fourth most-populated city in the country and home to 180,000 displaced people — suffered from repeated attacks in June and July. These attacks affected civilians, including children and humanitarian workers, and damaged homes, health and education facilities and a collective site for displaced people, disrupting people’s access to vital services. A missile attack on 8 July destroyed part of the Okhmadyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, leaving child patients without specialized care unavailable in other health facilities in Ukraine. During the reporting period, out of 150 attacks on health care verified by WHO SSA globally, 53 attacks were in Ukraine, causing 13 deaths and 133 injuries. Furthermore, deadly strikes in Kharkiv City and Vilniansk Town in the east and south-east damaged homes and schools.

Fighting in front-line communities affected humanitarian operations and led to new displacements. Insecurity and damage to homes and critical civilian infrastructure forced residents in Donetska, Khersonska and Kharkivska oblasts to leave their homes. Attacks also damaged humanitarian assets and affected humanitarian workers in different parts of the country — from Sumska Oblast in the north-east to Kharkiv City and Donetska Oblast in the east and Khersonska Oblast in the south — impacting the humanitarians’ ability to deliver assistance.

In Donetska Oblast, hostilities which aggravated humanitarian needs also resulted in shrinking humanitarian access. Residents in Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk and Toretsk towns in Donetska Oblast suffered regular attacks, deepening humanitarian needs, while affecting the ability of humanitarians to reach the most vulnerable in these communities.

Strikes on energy and railway infrastructure continued, disrupting vital services. In June, HRMMU documented 33 attacks on energy infrastructure, which destroyed or damaged the energy facilities and temporarily disrupted electricity and water supply. In June and July, HRMMU also documented three attacks on railway infrastructure, affecting critical services.

With the cold season approaching, the humanitarian community developed a Winter Response Plan, appealing for US$492 million to assist 1.8 million vulnerable people during the cold season.

Source: OCHA (October 8 Update)

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HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE: January to August 2024

In August, hostilities in front-line areas and large-scale attacks led to multiple civilian casualties, including children, while homes were destroyed, and civilian infrastructure was damaged across the country, necessitating an adjustment of the humanitarian response to meet arising needs. The destruction and displacement left many without shelter, livelihoods and access to basic services, including health care, while children required alternative learning opportunities and protection. The wave of attacks on Ukraine's critical civilian infrastructure since March 2024 temporarily deprived people of essential services and heightened anticipated winter-related humanitarian needs outlined in the 2024-2025 Winter Response Plan.

Humanitarian actors quickly responded to support people affected by intensified hostilities, especially from Donetska, Kharkivska and Sumska oblasts, both in transit and in receiving areas in coordination with first responders and local authorities.

As of the end of August, humanitarian partners provided at least one type of assistance to 6.7 million people targeted under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024 (HNRP). During August alone, over 580 humanitarian organizations, including more than 380 national NGOs, delivered aid to nearly 400,000 people. About 5.4 million people received water, sanitation and hygiene support, primarily through system maintenance, repairs and emergency water supply. Food and farming supplies were distributed to nearly 2.9 million people, focusing on front-line communities. Health-care assistance reached nearly 1.7 million people. In preparation for winter, over 1.2 million people received solid fuel and materials to repair damaged homes, as well as other non-food items. Humanitarians also provided protection services, including general protection, child protection services, gender-based violence prevention, survivor assistance and mine action through explosive ordnance risk education. Over 600,000 people received multi-purpose cash assistance to meet emergency basic needs, and nearly 530,000 people received support to continue education. Living conditions for internally displaced people in selected collective sites were improved.

To reach front-line areas where the security situation is posing access challenges, humanitarian partners delivered 28 inter-agency convoys with assistance for nearly 45,000 people in Donetska, Kharkivska, Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts, complementing regular programming activities.

The humanitarian response remained underfunded — only 42 per cent of the US$3.1 billion received as of the end of August — limiting the humanitarian community's capacity to address critical needs as new needs arise and winter approaches. Unless timely and predictable funding is secured, humanitarian organizations will struggle to provide essential support and alleviate the hardships faced by those most affected by the war, especially during the winter months ahead.

• Intensified hostilities and shifting front line impacted civilians and civilian infrastructure in hardest-hit oblasts, causing new displacements, restricting humanitarian access.

• Attacks across Ukraine impact the residents of urban centres, causing civilian casualties, including children, and disrupting basic services.

• Humanitarian response efforts face growing challenges, including safety risks. Six aid workers were killed or injured in July and August alone.

• In the first eight months of 2024, the humanitarian community provided at least one form of humanitarian assistance to 6.7 million out of 8.5 million people targeted for support.

• The humanitarian response remained underfunded — only 42 per cent of the US$3.1 billion received, which limits aid workers’ capacity to address critical needs as winter approaches.