The United Nations is facing a severe funding shortfall for its efforts to aid Ukrainians this winter, as more than half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity has been destroyed, reports Suspilne.
UNHCR is working with Ukrainian organizations to provide support to IDPs and assist the most vulnerable groups, particularly as winter approaches. The agency reports that about 650,000 people are receiving this aid.
Caroline Lindholm Billing, a representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that “the level of funding for organizations like the UN is too low for this time of year.”
She revealed that UNHCR currently has only 47% of the funds needed to assist millions of Ukrainians displaced or affected by the war. This marks a decrease from last year when the program was 70% funded at the same time.
According to Billing, there are approximately 3.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. The situation is further exacerbated by ongoing infrastructure attacks and increased Russian military activity, leading to new population displacements.
Almost 99,000 people, for example, evacuated or left frontline villages in the Donetsk Oblast since 1 August, a representative of the UN Refugee Agency added.
The funding crisis comes at a critical time when Ukraine’s power infrastructure has been severely impacted, with over half of its electricity production capacity reportedly destroyed. This combination of factors presents a significant challenge for humanitarian efforts in the country as winter sets in.
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