UN May Move Ukraine Aid Supplies Underground After Series of Strikes
UN Response to Escalating Attacks on Aid Warehouses in Ukraine
GENEVA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine said on Tuesday his organisation is considering moving aid supplies underground to dodge Russian strikes, which have hit 10 of its warehouses this year, destroying millions of dollars' worth of supplies.
Impact of Strikes on Humanitarian Supplies
One of the World Health Organization's main warehouses containing medical supplies was hit earlier this month, and other strikes have destroyed hygiene kits and children's school supplies, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, told Reuters in Geneva.
New Trends in Attacks
"These deliberate attacks on warehousing capacities (...) is a new trend of the last few months," he said, after briefing states on needs in Ukraine in the fifth year since Russia's full-scale invasion.
Strategies to Protect Aid and Staff
Moving Supplies Underground
He said they are weighing moving supplies into underground bunkers and are delaying purchases of aid supplies until the last minute to reduce exposure to strikes.
Financial and Logistical Implications
"This feels increasingly like the front line is moving into the air," he said. "That means extra cost also to the taxpayers, who at the end of the day pay for the goods that the U.N. and other humanitarians bring in," he said, adding that such costs were not foreseen in the body's $2.3 billion aid budget for 2026.
Investments in Staff Protection
The U.N. is investing in equipment to protect staff, such as more armoured vehicles and drone detection devices and is considering growing Ukrainian requests for mobile drone shelters in the streets, such as near bus shelters, as civilian casualties rise, he said.
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Thomas Seythal)
