UK to provide vital food supplies to encircled Ukrainian cities
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed that the UK will provide Ukraine with £2 million in essential food supplies for people trapped by Russian advances.
Food and water are being sent from warehouses near Warsaw, Poland.
The UK is set to provide £2 million in vital food supplies for areas of Ukraine encircled by Russian forces, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed today (26 March).
The announcement comes following a direct request from the government of Ukraine, with the UK funding a rapid donation of dried food, tinned goods and water.
Warehouses in Poland and Slovakia are being readied to supply these goods to the government of Ukraine from early next week. Around 25 truckloads will then be transported by road and rail to the local Ukrainian communities in greatest need.
It is estimated over 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine, with the actual figure likely to be much higher.
This rapid donation is essential, with the window to reach towns and cities already encircled, as well as those at high risk, closing.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:
This vital donation of food and supplies will help support the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion.
Our teams are working day and night with our Polish and Slovakian friends and the government of Ukraine to ensure those at most risk get the essential supplies they so badly need.
Alice Hooper, FCDO Humanitarian Adviser said:
The need on the ground in Ukraine is clear, with so many people in encircled areas trapped in basements without access to food or water. Nearly 6 million children remain in Ukraine, many sheltering inside buildings which are coming under attack.
We are working with partners at the borders to ensure these vital UK supplies reach the places they are needed most as quickly as possible.
Access to food, water and cooking facilities for those trapped by Russian advances is becoming increasingly difficult, with people taking refuge in basements from shelling.
This latest donation comes as part of the £400 million committed by the UK, with £220 million of this on humanitarian aid. The Foreign Secretary today announced the allocation of the first tranche of this funding, which will be shared amongst trusted humanitarian delivery partners on the ground, including:
- £25 million to the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR to support surrounding countries to receive and care for refugees from the conflict
- £20 million to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the OCHA-managed Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), to provide coordinated lifesaving humanitarian assistance, protection and basic services to those remaining in Ukraine
- £10 million to International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to deliver healthcare and water, sanitation and hygiene provision amongst other support
Background
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The UK announced nearly £400 million of aid for urgent economic and humanitarian support since the invasion. This includes a £220 million package for aid agencies on the ground to provide medical supplies and basic necessities, saving lives and protecting vulnerable people.
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UK bilateral food assistance will support efforts by the UN World Food Programme and Red Cross to scale up alternative food assistance while maintaining the safety and security of staff on the ground.
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