Strikes in Ukraine continue to shift burden of conflict on civilians

Since Friday morning, 29 December, the Russian Federation launched a series of strikes on essential civilian infrastructure in several towns in Ukraine, threatening the access of many communities to water, heating and electricity.

This destruction is a violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks and destruction of goods essential to the survival of civilians. Destroying and undermining essential infrastructure, in particular water networks, electricity and gas installations, but also schools and health establishments, are widespread tactics of war that undermine the already deteriorated socio-economic conditions of communities. In Ukraine, as elsewhere, this destruction has the effect of sowing fear and making civilians bear the brunt of the conflict.

In a country where winter temperatures can drop to -20 degrees, heating, electricity and drinking water are essential to the survival of the Ukrainian population. According to the local authorities, the destruction of the energy network will have reached 40% by 2022[1], mainly in the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporijia. Again this year, the destruction of essential infrastructure could lead to a dramatic increase in humanitarian needs and force the population to move to other parts of the country or abroad.

Since the conflict escalated on 24 February 2022, Ukraine has been the target of indiscriminate strikes. Every day that passes without a political solution to the conflict further deteriorates the living conditions of the population, particularly in the areas close to the front lines which register the greatest number of civilian casualties and damage to essential infrastructure.

About Action against Hunger (ACF) in Ukraine

ACF worked in Ukraine from 2014 to 2018, before implementing an emergency humanitarian response from February 2022. Today, ACF’s coordination is based in Kyiv and activities focus on two distinct areas:

– In Western Ukraine (Chernivtsi base), where activities focus on helping displaced people and the host community.

– In Eastern Ukraine (Dnipro and Kharkiv bases, with actions implemented in the oblasts of Zaporijia, Donetsk and Sumy) in favour of very vulnerable populations directly affected by the conflict, directly by ACF teams but also through humanitarian partners already present on the ground.

Action against Hunger (ACF) intends to extend its intervention to the south of the country, to the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions, giving priority to the distribution of food and basic necessities.

[1] https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/volodimir-zelenskij-zustrivsya-z-yevrokomisarom-z-pitan-ener-78841