Weekly Update #24
August 15

Intense hostilities since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine have left 17.7 million people in need of humanitarian aid, an increase of 2 million people compared to April.
Over the last week, general insecurity and attacks have also hampered civilian evacuations in the east and the south, raising serious concerns about the security of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), located in areas under the control of the Russian Federation forces and affiliated groups.
Attacks reported on 5 and 6 August in the vicinity of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), located in non-Government-controlled areas of the south-east Zaporizka oblast, prompted Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi to issue a statement expressing concern and stressing the crucial importance that the Agency can send a mission of nuclear safety, security and safeguards experts to the site as soon as possible.

Internally Displaced Populations (As of 23 July 2022)

6,645,000 ESTIMATED INTERNALLY DISPLACED WITHIN UKRAINE

Results of IOM’s general population survey show that, as of 23 July 2022, 15% of the general population, equivalent to over 6.64M individuals, are internally displaced within Ukraine. This represents an increase of almost 370,000 IDPs (6%) since June 23, a figure similar to the one reported in March 2022.

Source: Internal Displacement Report: General Population Survey - Round 7

The number of internally displaced people increased in July after months of a downward trend due to massive returns reported in many parts of the country. By the end of the month, approximately 6.64 million people were internally displaced across Ukraine, an increase of 370,000 (6 per cent) since June, according to the latest IOM’s Ukraine Internal Displacement Report.

Source: IOM Ukraine Operational Update 2 to 8 August 2022

Civilian Casualties

Across the country, the UN Human Resource Monitoring Mission in Ukriane had verified, as of 7 August: 12,867 civilian casualties since the full-scale war began.

• 5,401 people killed (including 2,081 men, 1,420 women, 169 boys and 147 girls) and

• 7,466 injured (including 1,511 men, 1,095 women, 225 boys and 157 girls). More than half of all casualties were recorded and corroborated in the eastern Donetska and Luhanska oblasts.

Source: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

UNHCR Ukraine situation flash update No 25 12.08.22.pdf

Financing the Ukraine Response

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, released, on behalf of the humanitarian community in the country, the revised Humanitarian Flash Appeal. According to the revised estimations, 17.7 million people – over a quarter of Ukraine’s population – need humanitarian aid and protection services, an increase of 2 million since the last revision in April.

The financial request increased from US$2.25 billion to $4.3 billion to make sure aid workers in the country have the funding and resources necessary to continue delivering critical assistance and protection services to people across Ukraine until December 2022.

The appeal includes specific responses to support people during the upcoming harsh cold season, in addition to scaled-up cash assistance programming. Humanitarians are expected to reach 6.3 million people with multipurpose cash, up from the 2 million targeted in the April revision of the Flash Appeal.

Source: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND RESPONSE

The Ukrainian crisis has profoundly impacted the lives of millions of people – in Ukraine and other countries – who had never imagined its magnitude on many levels. Six months into the crisis, humanitarian organizations continue to face increasingly enormous challenges in responding to the diverse short-term as well as long-term needs.

The challenges have nonetheless brought out the best in all of us, who have stood in solidarity with the suffering of the Ukrainian people. The global generous response to the unending needs brought about the tragedy of war has been inspired by the resilience of the Ukrainian people who have been displaced by the war, but who persist in their faith in divine help, as expressed by ICMC Secretary-General Msgr. Robert Vitillo.

The response of the international and faith community all over the world has been generous and wide-ranging. In this section, we feature snapshots of the different ways key humanitarian partners, such as the United Nations agencies and various faith communities, have been engaged in alleviating the devastating impacts of this tragic war.

These information are regularly provided by humanitarian actors and reflect activities/results undertaken in the previous week. Further details are available from the links provided.

Approaching the six-month mark of the war, humanitarians across Ukraine continue to work to provide life-saving assistance to people whose lives have been upended by the war. Since 24 February, over 420 humanitarian organizations have supported 11.8 million people with some form of aid or provided protection services.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Denise Brown of Canada as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ukraine as of 30 July. She will also serve as Humanitarian Coordinator.

Food Security

Food distributions remain concentrated in the east of the country, most affected by the conflict.

At least 12 vessels carrying over 375,000 tons arranged by WFP of grains and foodstuff had sailed from Ukrainian ports as of 9 August under the recently agreed Black Sea Grain Initiative. This follows the departure, on 1 August, of the first commercial ship from the port of Odesa since 26 February.
In July under the Food Security and Livelihood Cluster coordinated by the World Food Program, over 3.3 million people were reached with multiple rounds of food assistance and livelihood support (agricultural inputs, trainings) across all 24 oblasts. In August so far, 300 mt of food has been handed over to Cooperating Partners (CPs) operating in conflict-affected areas in Donetska oblast,

Sources: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

WFP Ukraine Limited Emergency Operation External Situation Report, 01 August 2022

IOM Regional Ukraine Response - Situation Report #25, 04 August 2022

Health

Access to health care continues to be severely impaired due to security concerns, restricted mobility, broken supply chains and mass displacement. Between 24 February and 10 August, 445 attacks on health care were reported, depriving people of urgently needed care, endangering health-care providers, and undermining health systems.

USAID, as a key WHO partner, provides additional support for the surveillance of infectious diseases and reporting in Ukraine, especially for the most vulnerable groups, and for COVID-19 immunization of the general population. It also has also provided logistical support for the distribution of US$380 million in donated medicines and medical supplies to communities across Ukraine.
The Health Cluster partners coordinated by WHO reported completed or ongoing activities in over 570 settlements across Ukraine, reaching 4.6 million people.
EU Civil Protection Mechanism has successfully coordinated 1,000 medical evacuations of Ukrainian patients to provide them with health care in 18 European countries.

Sources: WHO External Situation Report #19, published 11 August, 2022

Situation report from WHO Ukraine country office. Issue No.18, 10 August 2022

IOM Ukraine Operational Update 2 to 8 August 2022

https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

Protection

Refugees and internally displaced populations experience extraordinary vulnerabilities brought about by unstable and unpredictable circumstances of the conflict.

483,650 people received protection assistance, advice and referrals at border crossing points, transit and reception centres and through hotlines managed by UNHCR.
35 Blue Dots, a collaboration between UNHCR and UNICEF, have been established in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The Blue Dots provide access to cross sectoral services for children and families and also offer referral services for women, including for support on gender-based violence.
84,873 consultations have been provided through IOM’s counter-trafficking and migrant advice hotline since 24 February.

Sources: Ukraine response protection snapshot (27 March - 07 April)

UNHCR Ukraine situation Flash Update #24

UNICEF Ukraine Factsheet No. 7, 20 July 2022

IOM Regional Ukraine Response - Situation Report #25, 04 August 2022

Education

Some 5.7 million school-aged children have been affected since the start of the war, due to the closure of educational institutions.

• As the war continues to wreak havoc in Ukraine, especially for families and children, UNICEF has launched a new initiative to help Ukrainian preschoolers. UNICEF, or the United Nations Children’s Fund, announced a new mobile application for Ukrainian preschoolers that offers interactive games aimed at developing skills such as logic and creativity. The application will help children learn independently, use their free time effectively, engage in cognitive activities, develop key skills, and distract themselves from war.

The application was created by UNICEF Ukraine, together with UNICEF Montenegro, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Montenegro and the company SoftServe.

Sources: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2022-08/new-unicef-initiative-to-help-ukrainian-preschoolers-ukraine-war.html

Economic and Shelter Assistance

Multi-purpose cash assistance has consistently been the highest priority of refugees and internally displaced populations that enables them to provide for their own specific needs.

As of 10 August, in general 2.5 million people have received cash assistance across the country worth $540 million through various UN agencies, making it the largest cash response in humanitarian history. This includes: 436,095 people by UNHCR, and USD 203,266,350 to almost 10 million people by WFP, while IOM has extended multi-purpose cash assistance to 83,829 persons in Ukraine.

In addition, some 11.2 million people need shelter assistance and non-food items-related support. It is thus essential to ensure that safe corridors are maintained to enable humanitarian assistance to be brought to highly affected areas.

In the past week, the UN facilitated the delivery of a seven-truck humanitarian convoy to the front-line of Government-controlled areas of Donetska oblast. The convoy delivered 43 tons of water, sanitation, hygiene and winterization supplies.

Sources: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/

IOM Ukraine Operational Update 2 to 8 August 2022

External Situation Report #13, 16 April, 2022

HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE

Angelus - 15 August 2022 - Feast of the Assumption

The Pope encouraged visiting Marian sanctuaries and praying for Ukraine

Greeting the participants of the prayer in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis encouraged Romans and guests of the city to visit the Papal Mary's Basilica, and there, in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Peace, to pray for peace in the world and in Ukraine.

"E in questo giorno dedicato alla Madonna, esorto quanti ne hanno la possibilità a visitare un Santuario mariano per venerare la nostra Madre celeste. Tanti romani e pellegrini si recano a Santa Maria Maggiore, per pregare davanti alla Salus Populi Romani. Lì si trova anche la statua della Vergine Regina della pace, posta dal Papa Benedetto XV. Continuiamo a invocare l’intercessione della Madonna perché Dio doni al mondo la pace, e preghiamo in particolare per il popolo ucraino."

Links to the full text in ITALIAN

Angelus - 14 August 2022

Pope: We ask the Lord for special mercy for the Ukrainian people

In the context of the twentieth anniversary of entrusting the world to God's mercy, which was completed by Ivan Paul II, Pope Francis wished God's mercy and grace for the long-suffering people of Ukraine.

"E un pensiero speciale va ai numerosi pellegrini che oggi si sono radunati nel Santuario della Divina Misericordia a Cracovia, dove vent’anni fa San Giovanni Paolo II fece l’Atto di Affidamento del mondo alla Divina Misericordia. Più che mai vediamo oggi il senso di quel gesto, che vogliamo rinnovare nella preghiera e nella testimonianza della vita. La misericordia è la via della salvezza per ognuno di noi e per il mondo intero. E chiediamo al Signore, misericordia speciale, misericordia e pietà per il martoriato popolo ucraino."

Links to the full text in ITALIAN

Pope Francis held a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the conversation on Twitter, noting that it was an opportunity to inform the Pope about the "terrible crimes" committed by the aggressor in Ukraine.

President Zelenskyy Thanks Pope Francis for Praying for Ukraine