Millions of families in Ukraine are facing a harsh winter without adequate heating. While some receive assistance, thousands of families are still waiting for help. Each day that passes, more families become trapped by the snow. This is the dramatic conclusion reached by an Argentine news agency in the context of a country enduring a prolonged war.
One such case is an elderly woman whose old heater broke down, and they could not afford a new one. Thanks to the support of kind people, she was provided with an insulation kit and a new heater.
The situation is exacerbated by damaged infrastructure. Wind enters through broken windows, roofs are damaged, and snow gets inside shelters. One method of attack and isolation has been targeting power plants. "Without warm clothing, medicine, and sufficient insulation, elderly people and children are extremely vulnerable," stated Elizabeth Arnsdorf Haslund, Head of Communications for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Ukraine. She has been traveling through communities in the east and south of the country, devastated by attacks.
"Every day I see destroyed homes, families who have lost everything, and elderly people who continue to live among the rubble because they have nowhere to go. It is practically impossible to survive the extreme cold in Ukraine without the proper items," she added.
In response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the large-scale war, UNHCR is working with national authorities, other UN agencies, displaced communities, and local and international partners to provide urgent assistance and support.
The Russian invasion, which began in February 2022, has claimed a large number of civilian lives and destroyed vital infrastructure. As a result, millions of people have been forced to flee in search of safety, protection, and aid. Over 12.7 million people in Ukraine are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 3.6 million who have been displaced within the country.
UNHCR began its operations in Ukraine in 1994 and has since collaborated with local authorities and partners to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to those in need.
