Massive Russian strikes on Ukraine have severely damaged energy, water, and heating systems, and humanitarian organizations are facing an acute shortage of funding. This was stated by Matthias Schmale, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator for Ukraine, during a briefing in Geneva on October 31.
Source: DW
According to him, as a result of prolonged attacks by Russian troops, part of Ukraine’s infrastructure remains paralyzed, and the need for assistance is growing every day, especially on the eve of winter.
“We are seeing Russian shelling destroy critical systems again — energy, water, heating. Winter is approaching, and people need urgent help,” Shmale emphasized.
As an example, he cited the city of Shostka in the Sumy region, where about 40,000 residents were left without electricity for most of October after another wave of attacks.
Lack of funding: over a billion dollars in deficit
The coordinator said that this year, the UN and partner organizations have already provided assistance to about four million Ukrainians, but funding for humanitarian programs has been significantly reduced.
According to Shmale, in 2025, humanitarian organizations will be short of more than $1 billion to continue their work in full.
“We have received only $1.15 billion, which is about 44% of the amount needed. Without additional contributions, we will not be able to help everyone who needs it,” the UN representative said.
The organization called on international donors to immediately increase financial support to meet the basic needs of the Ukrainian population — electricity, heat, water, and shelter during the winter.
