UN plans to help 1M Ukrainians in winter

The UN Shelter and Non-Food Item (SNFI) Cluster in Ukraine plans to provide winter kits to 1 million Ukrainians.

SNFI Coordinator in Ukraine John Wain stated this in an exclusive interview with Ukrinform.

Last month, a special working group together with UN partners worked on winterization, developing recommendations for winterization and assistance for approximately 1 million Ukrainians. An estimated USD 200 million is needed for these activities, Wain said.

He said that special winter kits have been created, which include high-temperature winter blankets, mattresses, bedspreads, electric and solid fuel heaters.

Another type of assistance is the provision of fuel: firewood and coal briquettes. The cluster works closely with the Ministry of Reintegration to identify the needs of a particular region and then coordinates these needs with the plans of humanitarian partners who will purchase firewood and fuel and ensure their delivery.

The UN can also provide monetary assistance, but this requires a full understanding of the market. Assessing the price situation on the fuel market available in different regions is another task and part of the coordination effort to provide this type of assistance, Wain emphasized.

As reported, last fall and winter, Russians actively attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Cities and towns experienced frequent power and water outages, and people needed support.