UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it is deeply concerned that Russia’s intensified attacks against Ukraine pose an immediate threat to the lives and well-being of the country’s 7.5 million children.

In a statement on Thursday, UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell on children in Ukraine said that heavy weapons fired along the line of contact had already damaged critical water infrastructure and education facilities in recent days.

She said unless the fighting subsides, tens of thousands of families could be displaced, dramatically escalating humanitarian needs.

“UNICEF is working across eastern Ukraine to scale up life-saving programmes for children. This includes trucking safe water to conflict-affected areas; prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies as close as possible to communities near the line of contact,” explained Ms Russell. 

The UNICEF official added that the UN agency was working with municipalities to ensure “there is immediate help” for children and families in need. 

“UNICEF-supported mobile teams are also providing psychosocial care to children traumatised by the chronic insecurity,” stated Ms Russell.

According to her, the past eight years of conflict have inflicted profound and lasting damage to children on both sides of the line of contact. The children of Ukraine need peace desperately now.

The official echoed the appeal of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres for an immediate ceasefire and calls on all parties to respect their international obligations to protect children from harm and to ensure that humanitarian actors can safely and quickly reach children in need.

“UNICEF also calls on all parties to refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure on which children depend – including water and sanitation systems, health facilities and schools,” she further said.

Similarly, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, Osnat Lubrani, expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

“As we try to understand the evolving situation in different parts of the country… we are here to support the people exhausted by years of conflict. We are prepared to respond in case of any increase in humanitarian needs,” she said in a statement.

Also expressing its deep concern, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) called for respect of international humanitarian law.

UNESCO also called for “restraint from attacks on, or harm to, children, teachers, education personnel or schools, and for the right to education to be upheld.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) similarly expressed deep concern “for the impact of hostilities on the lives and livelihoods of civilians.”

WFP director of emergencies Margot van der Velden said, “As the situation evolves, there is the need to ensure that affected communities have continued access to any humanitarian support they may require. And that the safety of humanitarian staff on the ground is guaranteed.”

(NAN)