The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered life-saving supplies to Odesa to help an estimated 50,000 children in the war-ravaged districts of southern Ukraine.

In a statement, UNICEF stated that the supplies were done on Tuesday to Odesa districts, the crucial Black Sea port Russia bombed on Saturday.

“UNICEF is delivering life-saving supplies to important areas, including Odesa and surrounds, so we can quickly respond to the most vulnerable families who are affected by the ongoing fighting and shelling in eastern Ukraine,” UNICEF Ukraine Representative Murat Sahin said.

Russia bombed the districts hours after signing a landmark deal to allow Ukrainian grain to reach millions of food insecure people worldwide.

The supplies to be pre-positioned in Odesa city included water purification equipment, sanitation and hygiene supplies to prevent sickness due to lack of clean water and sanitation – particularly dangerous to vulnerable populations.

Around 110,000 people would be assisted by filters and chemicals to deliver clean water, and hygiene kits would help to keep 14,000 children healthy.

“Provision of safe water supplies and hygiene kits will help an estimated 50,000 children stay healthy in these challenging circumstances,” Mr Sahin said.

Additionally, the supplies would improve the living conditions of internally displaced families and children, many of whom had fled to Odesa from war-affected districts.

So far, the city had been relatively unscathed compared with the near total destruction of Mariupol further to the east.

But on Saturday, Russia launched cruise missile strikes, reportedly confirming on Sunday via a foreign ministry spokesperson that it had been targeting military infrastructure in Odesa port.

Due to the ongoing hostilities, UN and humanitarian partners had been unable to deliver any assistance to non-government-controlled areas since the start of the war.

In this instance, the town of Polohy, could not be reached, the UN humanitarians in Ukraine said in a statement on Monday.

According to the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Osnat Lubrani, medicine, food, blankets and supplies for children were delivered to Stepnohirsk and will also be sent to the neighbouring town of Prymorske.

About 5,000 people in urgent need would benefit from the items delivered.

(NAN)