Odesa, Ukraine, 26 November 2024 — As temperatures continue to plummet across Ukraine, recent days have seen waves of indiscriminate attacks that have claimed dozens of lives and injured many innocent civilians. Just yesterday in Odesa, a powerful explosion occurred in the same area where ten people were killed, and 55 others were injured last Monday. Working in collaboration with the European Union, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has provided aid to families affected in Odesa attacks, delivering emergency supplies and offering critical psychological support.
With temperatures expected to drop below freezing in the coming week, the destruction of residential buildings has left many without safe shelter. Targeted attacks on critical heating infrastructure further threaten people’s ability to survive the harsh winter season. This is particularly concerning for the more than 14 million people in need of humanitarian assistance across the country as winter sets in.
With support from the European Union, the IRC is working in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson to assist affected communities with legal aid, protection from harm, and ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have access to the care and assistance they deserve.
Scott Lea, IRC’s Ukraine Country Director, said:
"The past few days have once again seen the immense human toll of this war as Ukraine is approaching 3 years of full-scale war. People's capacity to cope has been severely depleted—both physically and psychologically. Many families are left without savings to endure the cold season, unable to afford fuel or warm winter clothing, or access appropriate assistance. Intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure have made life increasingly difficult for millions of civilians, particularly in places already enduring the strain of prolonged hostilities.”