Ukraine: follow updates and how you can help here

Thanks to your support, we were able to shelter thousands of people at home and abroad, provide basic supplies, offer psychosocial support, send generators, send colleagues to support the local Red Cross and so on.

More than 15,000 Ukrainian temporary displaced persons were sheltered in Belgium. 

In Ukraine, we directly supported the Ukrainian Red Cross with:

• A mission of 2 colleagues supporting local associations for a year and a half and six months respectively.  
• 62 generators to supply critical infrastructure with electricity 
• Several Ukrainian Red Cross projects financially, including the "winterization" project to provide extra supplies (think blankets, generators...) for the harsh and cold winter months
• Various projects by other partners, such as the ICRC, Danish and Luxembourg Red Cross. For example, we supported primary care and psychosocial support for wounded soldiers and civilians, the distribution of food and other basic goods, and the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure. Furthermore, several life-saving trainings were also funded, including on the danger of unexploded landmines. 

In 2023, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders also set up its own long-term project, supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross in the development of a research center to develop an evidence-based approach to humanitarian aid and strengthen the impact of its support and services. 

The Ukrainian Red Cross has already helped more than 9 million people in Ukraine. They received food packages, hygiene kits, drinking water, temporary shelter, cash or vouchers, psychosocial assistance and first aid training. Almost 327,000 people were evacuated from dangerous areas and sheltered by Red Cross volunteers. Furthermore, the Ukrainian Red Cross was able to provide thousands of generators so that essential infrastructure such as hospitals and shelters were supplied with electricity.

60 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies joined forces and raised more than 2 billion euros for activities related to this conflict. In total, nearly 18 million people could already be helped.

• People reached with emergency relief 
  17,631,551 
• People reached with food distributions
  7,571,548 
• People reached by handing out hygiene products
  2,756,893 
• People reached with mental health programs
  1,002,577 
• Cash distributed (CHF)
  180,538,724 
• People who received first aid training
  536,501 
• People evacuated or transported
  445,550  

Home-based care, or home care, refers to the care and support provided to people in their own homes when they cannot function independently because of age, illness or other limitations.

The elderly are especially in need of this support. Ukraine currently has 8.9 million elderly people, representing 24 percent of the population. Many of them face mental and social vulnerability due to loneliness, health problems and isolation. The military escalation makes their situation even more difficult: the elderly are forced to leave their homes, lose their caregivers and younger relatives, and face anxiety, stress and grief. On top of that, they face rising costs of living and an ongoing energy crisis. Worryingly, as a result, more and more elderly people are returning to their homes close to the front lines.
The Ukrainian Red Cross provides home care to elderly people who feel lonely or alone and need help with their daily lives. This care is provided by about 1,000 Red Cross social workers operating across the country. They provide assistance to more than 5,500 elderly people.

Home care services include:

• Domestic help: They help with cleaning, cooking and changing bedding.
• Social and practical support: They accompany the elderly to the doctor, help with shopping, paying bills and arranging other social affairs. For example, medications and other essential goods are delivered to their homes.
• Hygienic care: They provide help with personal care, such as assisting with washing and other hygienic procedures.
• Emotional and psychosocial support: They engage in conversations and provide companionship, which is especially important for seniors who are dealing with stress, anxiety and social isolation due to ongoing violence.

Because integrated social and health services at home are still insufficiently developed, many elderly people continue to rely on the help of the Red Cross. This is why Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is putting an extra spotlight on this activity: to emphasize the importance of this much-needed support and to continue making a difference for vulnerable elderly people. 

Psychosocial support, or PSS, are activities that serve to protect and promote people's mental and social well-being, especially after major events. These activities are offered through group and individual activities, such as discussion groups, creative workshops, family meetings and psychoeducational sessions. It helps to reduce stress, teach self-care skills and increase people's resilience. Special attention is given to vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, people with disabilities and families in difficult situations.

The escalation of violence in Ukraine is leaving deep marks. Millions of people are struggling with grief, fear and stress due to the loss of their loved ones, home and familiar surroundings. For children, this situation is especially tough. They often do not fully understand the events, but feel all the more strongly the turmoil and fear around them. Children need structure and security. Daily routines, such as going to school and playing together, provide security. Conflict causes that security to fall away. This can lead to sleep problems, chronic stress and anxiety, with negative consequences for their development.

Therefore, in Ukraine, this support has been a Red Cross priority since 2014, with a greatly increased need due to the ongoing conflict. Since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, the Ukrainian Red Cross has:

• 613,738 people provided psychosocial support or first aid.
• 266,554 people involved in PSS activities.
• 42,275 events organized.
• 312,293 children supported with mental health services.
• Helped 21,365 people during emergencies and evacuations.

Improving access to PSS and expanding community-based initiatives remains a priority. Therefore, the Ukrainian Red Cross plans the establishment of at least 25 PSS centers across the country, with child-friendly spaces, recreational activities and information sessions for adults. 

These efforts are indispensable to help people rebuild their lives and give them the strength to move forward together, despite everything. The effects of this lingering violence do not disappear by themselves. That is why it is essential to protect people and especially children in conflict zones, to give them a sense of security and to support them in coming to terms with their experiences. Because only in a safe environment can children recover their resilience and be children again. 

Rehabilitation is the process by which people with physical limitations receive the care and support necessary to improve their functioning and quality of life. This includes both physical rehabilitation, such as the use of prosthetics or wheelchairs, and mental rehabilitation, which includes psychological care, therapies and psychosocial support.

The armed conflict in Ukraine has seriously injured thousands of people, both military and civilian. About 10% of the Ukrainian population needs these rehabilitation services to return to an independent life. Furthermore, these services promote their integration into the community and seek to mitigate to the extent possible psychological effects of their injuries, such as anxiety, stress and social isolation.

The Ukrainian Red Cross plays a vital role in improving access to rehabilitation. It establishes rehabilitation centers in strategic locations around the country, targeting the most affected populations. Services include providing physical aids such as prosthetics and wheelchairs, providing psychological support (such as counseling and psychotherapy), and organizing psychosocial activities such as discussion groups and support for family members. In addition, psychosocial rehabilitation and social events are organized outside the centers to promote the integration of people with disabilities into the community.

The Red Cross provides a wide range of services to restore both the physical and mental health of victims and help them regain a valuable role in society. Through this support, people can increase their resilience, improve their quality of life and find hope again during difficult times. 

A Ukrainian Red Cross community center is a place where people from the local community can go for help and support. The center provides a safe, accessible space for everyone, with extra attention to people who are struggling, such as the elderly. These centers exist to make people's lives better by offering various social services in one location. For example, people can go there for psychosocial and health care, help finding work or improving skills. Everything is tailored to the needs of different people, such as children, women, the elderly and those who are in a vulnerable position due to ongoing violence.

The centers also gather information about the needs of people in the community so they can adapt and improve their programs. For example, they make sure there is enough help for people who need extra support, such as psychologists or teachers who are also helped to do their jobs well. 

The Red Cross works with local organizations and government agencies to ensure that aid is well matched to what people really need. In addition, the centers provide conversations and initiatives that come from within the local community to make the community stronger and ensure that there is more targeted support for projects that improve the neighborhood. 

On Sept. 12, a planned distribution of emergency relief supplies from International Committee of the Red Cross in the Donetsk region was hit by a bombing. Three staff members were killed in the incident, while two others were wounded. No civilians were present at the time of the bombing. 

The president of International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, condemns the attack in the strongest terms. The International Committee of the Red Cross notes a sharp worldwide increase over the past two years in the number of humanitarian workers who die while working. It calls for respect for International Humanitarian Law and the duty to take precautions and ensure that humanitarian workers are not targeted and/or involved in hostilities. Wagons and personnel of the International Committee of the Red Cross are clearly and visibly marked with the Red Cross emblem to ensure that they are recognizable to all and their safety can be safeguarded. 

You can read the full press release from the International Committee of the Red Cross here.

After two years of armed conflict in Ukraine, stability remains a distant dream for the region. The conflict has now caused severe damage to housing, critical infrastructure and utilities such as energy, water and heating. Ukraine's health system remains functional, but is suffering. Rising healthcare costs and poverty are major obstacles for the population. Forced displacement also has a significant impact on access to health care, both for the IDPs and their host communities.

The situation in Ukraine is also having a major impact on the mental and emotional well-being of the population. Both Ukrainians who have remained at home and those who have fled abroad have had to deal with the stress of constant uncertainty and danger for two years. An increasing number of displaced people are seeking psychological support to learn how to cope with that stress, fear, grief and loss. An estimated one and a half million children are at risk for depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress and other mental disorders.

Thus, helping Belgian Red Cross-Flanders

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders assists in the reception of Ukrainian displaced persons domestically by organizing transit shelter at the Red Cross Emergency Shelter Ariane in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe and by operating the Emergency Village for Ukrainian displaced persons in Mechelen, in cooperation with the City of Mechelen. Over the past 2 years, a total of 13,186 Ukrainian displaced persons were thus received for at least one night by Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.

In addition, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has already raised €13,207,011 to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine itself. The funds were used to provide emergency relief supplies, personnel and financial support. A total of 61 generators were purchased and shipped to Ukraine to ensure power supply for critical infrastructure (hospitals and water supply companies). In addition, two experienced staff members were dispatched to Western Ukraine to assist the local branches of the Ukrainian Red Cross in the Rivne and Volyn regions.

In addition, financial assistance was provided to support subsequent humanitarian actions:

• Health care: 46 hospitals were supplied with medical equipment. Minor repair work on roofs, windows and facades was also done. A rehabilitation center, serving area of 100,308 inhabitants, was opened. Through mobile health teams, 76,260 primary care consultations were provided, to 63,000 people. Through the home care service, 2,000 people were cared for in the past two years. Some 926,000 people received psychosocial support, both through group sessions and individual therapy, and integrated into emergency relief or interventions through mobile health teams and home care.
• Water and sanitation: 14.4 million people were helped with the provision of drinking water and the begging of hygiene products.
• emergency relief: 813,000 people were supported financially. In addition, 13.72 million others received emergency relief supplies.
• Shelter: in addition to hospital repair work, assistance was provided to repair private homes in eastern Ukraine that suffered minor to medium damage from hostilities.

This is how the global Red Cross movement helps

More than 6.2 million people have fled Ukraine in search of safe shelter. Red Cross Societies in 58 countries have helped shelter a total of some 2 million Ukrainians in host families. Here there is a shift from acute emergency relief to more long-term thinking, with programs that promote integration and inclusion of refugees in their host communities. Financial support, (mental) health care, support in finding jobs or learning the language and education for both adults and children are targeted. Many refugees have lost contact with their loved ones but are nevertheless trying to rebuild their lives.

A network of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working with the ICRC's central tracing agency to help more than 8,000 families learn the fate of their captured or lost relatives. Meanwhile, the ICRC is the only international organization authorized to visit more than 1,500 prisoners of war along both sides of the conflict. As a neutral organization, the ICRC has also overseen the repatriation of hundreds of fallen soldiers.

17 National Red Cross Societies are currently active in Ukraine, including Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, to help support the humanitarian response of the Ukrainian Red Cross together with the ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

To date, the following results have been achieved with the funds of the Red Cross Movement:

• An estimated 18 million people have been helped with emergency relief items, such as blankets, hygiene products, food and water, and essential services;
• More than 1.8 million people received medical care;
• More than 1.1 million people received financial assistance to meet their most important needs. Of these, 80% reported that the hup provided work fully or partially covered their family's basic needs;
• Some 1.2 million people received psychosocial support;
• Through a mobile, coordinated approach, a total of 900,00 tons of relief supplies were distributed internationally, and some 65,000 tons domestically, to those in need:
  • A total of some 885 distribution points were set up
  • A total of about 130,000 volunteers were deployed.

The Ukrainian Red Cross continues unabated in its assistance to the population and has established a three-year action plan for this purpose. The goal is to reach 12 million people with humanitarian aid, and to assist 5 million people in their recovery. The Red Cross movement, including Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, supports the development of this plan.

Warm call

Would you like to support the response of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders in Ukraine? Then make your contribution via BE53 0000 0000 5353 stating 'Ukraine'. Thanks to your donation we can continue to help in Ukraine.

In early June, the Nova Kakhovka dam was destroyed causing massive floods. These are now over and what is left behind is great havoc. In addition to the destruction of several energy and other facilities, homes and food of the residents on the ground, the affected areas often no longer have access to clean, potable water. This has led to the immediate need to supply water and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases in a complex and volatile situation.

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders supports the Ukrainian Red Cross and partners on the ground through a joint project. This will provide the affected population with access to water and hygiene equipment and work together to restore critical water and sanitation infrastructure in the Dnipro region.

What do Ed Sheeran, Rudimental, Editors, Twenty One Pilots, George Ezra, Years & Years, Tame Impala and Roméo Elvis have in common? All eight have shot in Ukraine for one of their music videos. Given the current conflict, that would not be possible today. That's why the eight artists, in collaboration with Belgian Red Cross-Flanders , decided to remove all this footage from their videos. Because that is the harsh reality: even in the conflict zone today, people and infrastructure are still in danger of disappearing. The result? "Video unavailable." 

In this way, the artists and Belgian Red Cross-Flanders want to call on everyone to continue to support the victims of the conflict. Because after 1 year, the more than 17 million victims still need our support. Some 8 million Ukrainians have fled the country and 6.5 million civilians are fleeing in their own country. In addition, huge numbers of buildings have been damaged or destroyed and there is a severe shortage of basic resources such as water and energy. Belgium currently hosts 65,000 Ukrainian refugees including 1 in 3 children.

February 24 marks exactly one year since the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On the occasion of this sad anniversary, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders took stock. There is still no sign of improvement, and the humanitarian need is consequently far from diminishing. We therefore call on you to continue to support the victims.

One year after the situation degenerated between Russia and Ukraine, there is still little hope. On top of the nearly 20,000 civilian deaths and injuries, there are more than 17 million Ukrainians in need of urgent humanitarian aid. At 14 million, the number of refugees even higher than the entire Belgian population. Some 8 million victims have fled the country and more than 5.4 million citizens have been internally displaced. In addition, an awful lot of infrastructure has been destroyed. All indications are that the conflict will not be over soon. 

 

Situation in Belgium

Belgium currently hosts 65,000 Ukrainian refugees including 1 in 3 children. This huge number consists largely of families and more than half are female. Given the situation - and lack of prospects - in Ukraine, this influx is far from stopping. The most recent figures show that even in January 2023, 1,500 Ukrainians still entered the country. It is estimated that the total number will continue to rise to over 80,000 refugees in Belgium.

Red Cross support

Red Cross movement worldwide

Since the beginning of the escalation, Red Cross organizations worldwide have been fully committed. Thanks to the strong dedication and targeted actions of as many as 124,000 volunteers, more than 14.5 million victims have since been reached with essential aid (food, hygiene kits, clothing, financial support,...).

The Red Cross movement was mobilized worldwide to support and protect Ukrainian citizens:

• More than 1 million victims provided with basic needs
• Nearly 11 million victims helped to clean drinking water
• 136,000 victims reached with shelter support 
• More than 1 million victims provided with restored heating systems
• 35,000 victims provided financial support
• Medical and psychological support provided to 1,100,000 and 700,000 victims, respectively
• 170 healthcare facilities supported with medical equipment, devices and medicines
• Provided information directly to more than 3,000 families about the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones in Russia and Ukraine

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is active within various fields to provide maximum support to the people of Ukraine. With the support of volunteers - together accounting for some 1,000 shifts of citizen volunteers - and the commitment of dozens of departments, we operate from all over Flanders. With our operation, for example, we have received more than 10,000 refugees, in the transit center in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe or in the emergency village in Mechelen.

So far, we have already collected more than 13 million euros. Meanwhile, about 85% of that has been allocated, mostly internationally:

Continue to help in 2023

Help is and remains essential. The number of displaced civilians is visibly increasing daily, so Belgian Red Cross-Flanders continues to draw attention to this crisis. In the coming months, we will therefore continue to supply generators to the Ukrainian Red Cross, providing power for vital infrastructure. We will also continue to support the German Red Cross on the ground by providing a specialized staff member. On top of that, we are making EUR 2 million available for additional on-site support. We will support the Ukrainian Red Cross in the areas where Belgian Red Cross-Flanders can provide added value through its own expertise. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders makes a warm but urgent appeal to continue to support these actions and thus continue to support the victims in Ukraine and in Flanders. Every donation helps!

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders and Flemish minister-president Jan Jambon today visited a hospital and a water supply company in the Ukrainian city of Loetsk, two of the many institutions that rely on generators donated to them by Flanders for their energy supply. This is an additional support package from the Flemish government for Ukraine, good for a total of 2 million euros. 

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to have a major impact on ordinary citizens. Especially during these winter months, the situation is very precarious. Especially the damaged energy infrastructure in the country causes a great lack of mobile energy sources such as generators.

Healthcare facilities and schools also no longer have a reliable, constant power supply. Sometimes even in large parts of the country there is no electricity at all. That's why the Flemish government is giving 2 million euros worth of additional appliances and materials to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, to help meet these needs. 

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders will use this support package for the so-called "winterization" program of the Ukrainian Red Cross. This is an emergency relief plan through which the local population receives additional humanitarian support during the harsh winter months to meet their basic needs.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited some prisoners of war held by Russia and Ukraine in recent weeks. An important step. They were able to share long-awaited news about them with the families involved. In addition, the Red Cross teams were able to provide supplies for personal hygiene, books, blankets and warm clothing. "The visits are an important step forward in maintaining a minimum of humanity in times of armed conflict," said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric. "It also allows us to monitor how prisoners of war are treated and inform families about their loved ones. That is a priority." Most updates to families are brief notes of love and personal news. Some ask family members not to worry. Others ask them for cigarettes, socks and candy. All POWs are entitled to regular visits from ICRC delegates under the Third Geneva Convention. In any case, the ICRC must continue to have unfettered access to see all POWs wherever they are held.

The balance:

• more than 100,000 volunteers and 770 humanitarian experts have already been deployed
• about 5 million people were reached with essential aid (food, hygiene kits, clothing, financial aid, etc.)
• some 8 million people gained access to clean water
• some 700,000 people gained access to general health care services
• more than 350,000 people received mental health and psychosocial support
• nearly 3,000 families received information about the fate or whereabouts of their loved ones affected by the conflict

Read the full news story on 6 months of escalation.

"It hit me hardest when I was caring for many mothers with children. It was heartbreaking. When people are angry or sad, listening to them can sometimes help more than feeding them."

"Our staff and volunteers continue to work around the clock to support people, even when many are concerned about their own families and their safety. Yet they continue to don their Red Cross vests to deliver critical assistance to those who need it. We are focused on adapting, being flexible and responding to whatever happens."

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) strongly condemns the attack on the site with prisoners of war in Olenivka on July 29. Indeed, prisoners of war are protected under the rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) wherever they are held. Indeed, the rules state that all acts of violence toward prisoners of war are absolutely prohibited.

The ICRC immediately offered support for the evacuation of the wounded and offered to donate medical equipment, among other things. Their immediate priority was to ensure that the wounded could receive the necessary life-saving treatment and that the bodies of the victims could be treated with dignity. However, so far the ICRC was not given access to the site in Olenivka or the other places where the wounded and dead were taken after the attack.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been mandated under the Third Geneva Convention to be allowed to visit all sites where there are prisoners of war. And the parties to the conflict have an obligation to allow the same. The purpose of these visits is to ensure that the treatment of POWs is in accordance with IHL. As of February 2022, the ICRC has not yet been granted access to all sites where prisoners of war are held.

In addition, IHL also gives a specific mandate to the ICRC's Central Information Office: to gather all the info on the condition of prisoners of war. And to then communicate about that to their families, as well as to the parties to the conflict. It is one of the many examples where the ICRC acts as a strictly neutral organization, in support of all victims.

"Our thoughts go out to the families of these POWs who have lost loved ones due to this shocking event. The families of àll POWs - including those in Olenivka - have the right to receive urgent answers about what happened to their loved ones. Moreover, both sides of the conflict must make every effort to help establish the facts behind this attack in order to bring clarity, including by allowing impartial investigations," the ICRC said.

However, the organization does not have the mandate to publicly investigate such alleged war crimes. The ICRC does conduct a confidential dialogue with all conflict parties, raising IHL violations, with the aim of having them stopped or prevented.

After Marie Dupret earlier this year, colleague Anke Bert also left for Ukraine yesterday afternoon. She made a first stop in Berlin, because the German Red Cross is in charge of the projects in Ukraine that Anke will be working on. There she will receive an extensive briefing after which she will travel via Poland to Lviv. In total, she will be active for at least six months. Anke, who until recently was working as a Project Manager in Rwanda, will spend the next few months mainly helping to relieve the pressure on local primary care. She will be coordinating at least two projects. On the one hand there is the social assistance at home through nurses and on the other hand there are the mobile emergency units that provide medical support in more remote areas.

Listen to interview with Anke on Radio 1

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has already collected 9.4 million euros so far for humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict. Meanwhile, more than 75% of this has already been allocated to emergency relief. The largest portion (€5.3 million) was donated to International Committee of the Red Cross and the Danish Red Cross. Indeed, both have been very active in the conflict area since the beginning of the conflict and are deploying these funds on the ground to support the victims. In addition, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders provides 1.4 million euros to support Ukrainian refugees in Flanders. For the remaining 2.7 million euro, the organization is looking at how it can be spent in the most impactful way, because both nationally and internationally the challenges remain great.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Danish Red Cross are active in the conflict zone in various ways with acute humanitarian assistance. These include providing food, medical supplies, psychosocial assistance and shelter. The ICRC is also coordinating evacuations in the conflict zone, such as those from the Azovstal factory in Mariupol. The humanitarian aid that Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is co-supporting with the 5.3 million euros is crucial. That financial support was started from the very first days of the conflict and quickly scaled up further.

"The escalation of the conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating effect on millions of people. Since February, our operations have therefore been significantly scaled up. Although humanitarian aid is only a drop in the bucket, we will continue our efforts to reach as many people as possible." International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

The amount raised comes from various types of donations: the amount obtained through the 12-12 consortium, as well as deposits from individuals to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders 's 5353 account and donations from businesses and (local) governments.

Support refugees

In addition to the 5.3 million used in and around the conflict zone, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders provides 1.4 million to support Ukrainian refugees at home. Part of this will be used to be prepared for the longer-term flow of refugees. Consider, for example, the purchase of materials for emergency shelter, such as beds, blankets, hygiene kits and food. 

In addition - among other things - the activities of the Restoring Family Links service are being scaled up. This will help Ukrainian refugees who have lost contact with family members as a result of the conflict. Furthermore, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders in cooperation with the German Red Cross has now deployed a first employee to the conflict area and it is being considered whether a second employee will be added soon.

Finally, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders invested in a "toolbox" to help local Flemish administrations set up their own emergency shelter initiatives, which is a complex operation. A roadmap is therefore no superfluous luxury. That is why Belgian Red Cross-Flanders makes its expertise available to all cities and municipalities in need via www.rodekruis.be/toolbox.  

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders wants to thank enormously all Belgians, companies and governments that have offered financial support for their solidarity. The organization monitors the situation on a daily basis with the partners in Flanders and in the conflict area. Depending on the needs that emerge, the distribution of further spending will be decided.

Colleague Marie Dupret - the first Belgian Red Cross-Flanders employee sent out to the conflict zone - has meanwhile arrived well and truly in Western Ukraine. She is working there under the banner of our German colleagues from the German Red Cross (GRC).

"I arrived in Ukraine about 2 weeks ago. After a few days in Lviv - to meet the coordination team of GRC - we traveled on Tuesday to the Rivne and Volyn departments, where I will be mainly active initially. I met the Ukrainian Red Cross teams and we are getting ready to start our project," explained Marie Dupret, Project Manager Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.

Marie will initially work there primarily to establish primary care and health services for local communities, using mobile units and home-based nursing.

Beautiful logistical, humanitarian work by our colleagues from the Italian Red Cross we see in this aerial photo. Together with the Romanian Red Cross, they set up this hub 50 km from the Ukrainian border. For storage of humanitarian relief goods, 5 hangars were provided. Good for 1,000 m² meters and space for 600 pallets (= 20 fully loaded trucks). This hub can be used by all Red Cross associations.

During a four-day operation that began May 5, 51 Ukrainian civilians (women, children and the elderly) were evacuated from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol - both Russia and Ukraine confirm. The action was coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in cooperation with the United Nations and the conflict parties. Along with some 500 others, they were moved to safety in Zaporizhzhya, a city some 200km northwest of Mariupol. This is the third security operation in a week and, above all, a life-changing moment that provides great relief to civilians who suffered from the horror of nearby war violence. However, it is not the last operation in Ukraine. "Whether it is over Mariupol or elsewhere, no one is forgotten," stressed ICRC President Peter Mauer. "The International Red Cross will spare no effort to reach every Ukrainian citizen in need of humanitarian aid." You can read the entire article here.

Closer to home, final preparations are being made in the emergency village in Mechelen to receive the first Ukrainian refugees who will arrive starting Tuesday, May 17. We are currently busy training Red Cross workers who will be responsible for the support and reception of these refugees. Some information sessions we are organizing for them:

• General framework: what does Belgian Red Cross-Flanders stand for and what do we do? What flow will emergency village residents go through once they arrive?
• Digitization: explain the tools and programs that Belgian Red Cross-Flanders and OPA work with.
• Group event: nearly 600 people will live together in the emergency village. How will we ensure that daily life runs smoothly and safely for everyone? What activities will be provided? 
• Restoring Family Links: what does Restoring Family Links stand for? How can we help families and what procedures should be followed? 
• Psychosocial support: basics of individual counseling, as well as specific crisis guidelines.

The emergency village for the collective reception of Ukrainian war refugees in Mechelen is almost ready. Today, the city council of Mechelen handed over the key to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders which will be in charge of operating the emergency village on the Douaneplein. The first people are expected in the week of May 16. In recent weeks, 200 housing units have been prepared in the emergency village on the gravel parking lot opposite the Nekkerhal. A total of 650 refugees will be able to stay there. The site has been set up as a temporary housing estate. Residents receive emergency housing and guidance. With the VDAB and the educational partners agreements are made at the city level to guide people to a job and to give children the opportunity to go to school.

To operate the emergency village, Mechelen is calling on Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, a choice based on our unique expertise in collective shelters. "This assignment fits completely within the mission statement of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders as a 'helper of the government'. This is why we are also making our expertise available to other cities and towns setting up emergency shelter initiatives. Local governments can freely consult our handy toolbox on our website," says Prof. Dr. Philippe Vandekerckhove, Chief executive officer, CEO of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. The city of Mechelen has already collaborated with Belgian Red Cross-Flanders in the past, including Alderman for Social Affairs Gabriella De Francesco explains, "We also collaborated for the operation of the emergency reception of Syrian refugees in the emergency village at the Nekkerhal in 2016 and to date in the reception center at the Zwartzustersvest. It is thanks to this expertise that the organization can work very efficiently." How many employees will work will depend on the number of refugees, but at maximum capacity there will be about 50. For the completion of the construction phase, 10 to 20 volunteers and civilian volunteers will be working daily for the next week. The emergency village workers at Belgian Red Cross-Flanders - recruited during the April 20 job day, among others - are also already fully engaged in the final preparations. Among other things, they will ensure that permanent guidance is available for the Ukrainian refugees. Think of sports and leisure activities for the children, but also Dutch lessons - and of course: psychosocial support. After all, these are people who are in a difficult situation, so then it is important that they are never alone.

In coverage of the conflict in Ukraine, you sometimes come across the terms: prisoner of war and prisoner exchange. But what exactly is that?

This is a prisoner of war

The Ukrainian Red Cross (URCS) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continue to provide much-needed humanitarian support. Both in Ukraine itself, and in neighboring countries. For example, life-saving aid has already been provided to more than 1.1 million people and more than 1,800 tons of relief supplies have been distributed. Some 91,000 people have already received transport or evacuation assistance, and 28,000 affected people have received temporary housing. Some 96,000 people have also already been reached with psychosocial assistance, and in Ukraine 45,000 people have already received first-aid training. The latter, by the way, is also done in an innovative way: via a Telegram channel, on which the URCS regularly posts info about first aid . To accomplish all this, more than 42,000 trained Red Cross volunteers are active in the conflict region and neighboring countries. And one by one they are heroes, as this video illustrates (note, sensitive footage): a volunteer who does not take shelter during a bombing, but stays with the wounded victim.

In doing so, we must also never forget that all victims of the conflict are, of course, more than numbers. They are people, with a name and a face - and above all, each with his or her own story. The ICRC made that clear once again with "Left behind in Ukraine: The faces of Bucha." There are currently 12 million Ukrainians refugees: 7 million at home and 5 million outside the borders. That makes 1 in 4 Ukrainians fleeing. Among those arriving in Belgium, about 20 percent need shelter, and of that group, about 1 in 6 pass through the Ariane transit center in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe. There, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders facilitates an average of 60 overnight stays per day.

Since the escalation of the conflict on Feb. 24, 2022, the entire International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have been working to be able to help as many people affected by the conflict as possible. The Red Cross has been able to respond from the beginning thanks to their already permanent presence on the ground. Staff, rapid-response teams and volunteers have been deployed in all countries to provide essential assistance to those affected.

Red Cross operations in Ukraine

In Ukraine, mainly the Ukrainian Red Cross (URCS) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are working closely together to provide neutral and impartial emergency relief to those affected by the conflict. The ICRC has been here since the start of the conflict in 2014 to assist the URCS. The URCS has 24 regional offices and more than 200 local chapters across the country, with a total of 800 employees and more than 6,000 volunteers. They work alongside the ICRC's more than 600 staff.

In Ukraine, URCS and ICRC undertake the following activities, among others:

• Distribution of emergency relief items to the civilian population, such as food, water, medicines
  and clothing;
• Provision of first aid and other health services to the wounded and sick, including
  providing trauma kits, first aid kits, and medical support;
• Assistance for IDPs by providing shelter and financial support;
• Provide protection and assistance to the civilian population, including psychosocial
  support;
• Restoring family ties between separated family members, with particular attention to
  unaccompanied minors and extremely vulnerable persons, such as the elderly and persons with
  disabilities;
• Support evacuation and transportation of civilians;
• Financial support for infrastructure rehabilitation, such as the water supply system;
• Supporting hospitals, by supplying medical equipment and medicines;
• Organization of training in first aid;
• Raising awareness about the risks of mines and other explosive remnants of war;
• Promote respect for international humanitarian law (IHL), ensuring respect and dignity for people deprived of their liberty.

IFRC supports coordination of emergency relief in Ukraine. IFRC supports three logistical supply routes to Ukraine (Lviv, Uzhhorod and Chernivtsi). The Chernivtsi line is jointly managed by the Ukrainian Red Cross and the Danish Red Cross. In addition, the IFRC provides assistance in a number of technical areas, including through the deployment of specific profiles through the surge mechanism.

Red Cross operations in neighboring countries. 

In Ukraine's neighboring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Moldova, Romania, Belarus and Russia), Red Cross National Societies are present at border crossings to provide necessary assistance to refugees. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) facilitates overall coordination in this regard.

In neighboring countries, the IFRC provides assistance in the following areas:

• Support National Societies in strengthening their response capacity,
  including scaling up administrative and logistical capacity and strengthening at
  longer term;
• Facilitating logistics lines and providing storage capacity for emergency relief goods. This is coordinated centrally from the IFRC office in Budapest. This support involves three logistical supply routes to Ukraine.
• Community engagement and accountability, with the diverse needs, priorities and preferences of affected communities guiding the response.

Operating activities in Poland, Slovakia, Moldova, Romania, Belarus and Russia include:

• Providing emergency relief at border crossings, as well as essential transit hubs and shelters in all neighboring countries;
• Providing immediate assistance through financial support;
• Provide first aid and first aid training;
• Providing psychosocial support;
• Adapted transportation for people with disabilities to access emergency services;
• Providing protection, gender and inclusion by, for example, furnishing child-friendly spaces;
• Support for temporary and permanent housing, based on personal needs.

Given the rapidly evolving situation, these operations are adjusted daily according to needs.

Finally, there are other National Red Cross Societies that have set up operations in Ukraine and neighboring countries, such as the Danish Red Cross and the German Red Cross, in support of the local National Societies. Through various platforms, the Red Cross movement is in constant contact with each other to best coordinate activities.

Temporarily hosting refugees following the conflict in Ukraine? As a local government, you want to help, to do your part. Admittedly, there is a lot involved. How do you get started? How do you set up a reception center? How do you find volunteers? How do you get started with volunteers? What do you have to take into account? We are happy to help your city, municipality or local government get started with tips and roadmaps from our years of expertise in emergency shelter.

The direct impact of the armed conflict in Ukraine on civilians and civilian objects such as homes, as well as essential infrastructure such as water and electricity supplies in Ukraine, is enormous. Therefore, the Red Cross once again calls on parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to prevent further suffering and loss of civilian life and damage to civilian objects.

What is IHR?

The Ariane emergency shelter has been operating for about 1 month now. Since then, it has received 1,274 Ukrainian refugees. That's an average of 50 per day. Some days there are "only" about 10, some days close to 100. About 20% of the Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Belgium need shelter, the other 80% find a solution themselves (friends, family, ...). Of these 20 percent, about 1 in 6 temporarily end up in Ariane. The others are dispatched - via Fedasil - to the municipalities, where they end up in private host families, for example. Recently, Ariane has also started receiving Ukrainian refugees who have not yet been able to register at Heysel. These are people who arrive in Brussels-Midi (or elsewhere) only late in the afternoon or in the evening, for example. Since then, that's about 50 people a day on average coming to the emergency shelter. Transport between Brussels-Midi, Ariane and Heysel is facilitated by STIB/MIVB shuttles.

Included in the refugee influx that got underway are many (unaccompanied) minors. Currently, more than 2,000 children have been reported missing. Since it is suspected that they crossed the border during their flight, searches for them are being conducted across Europe. In the search, several European organizations, including Unicef, have joined forces. The Red Cross - specifically our Restoring Family Links service - is also part of it. The team of Marijke Peys, searches for missing family members in the context of conflict, migration or natural disasters. In the meantime, 10 files have been launched. "We work together with all our Red Cross colleagues worldwide," Marijke told VRT NWS radio news yesterday. "Through our international network, we go on the ground looking for those breadcrumbs that can help find a person. We will then use different methods, such as databases, field searches and establishing contacts with other organizations in order to find that person again." Within Belgium, Childfocus is also working to track down these children. 

Today the Ukrainian Red Cross delivers 350 food packages, 500 loaves of bread, hygiene items and supplies to villages in the Kiev region. Once again, we would like to thank everyone who supports the Red Cross with a financial contribution or as a volunteer. On behalf of all those affected. View images.

An International Red Cross team escorted a convoy of buses and cars carrying more than 1,000 people from Berdiansk, a city 80 km from Mariupol, to Zaporizhzhya. These were people who had fled Mariupol of their own accord. The ICRC remains ready to facilitate the safe passage of civilians from Mariupol and other cities, provided the parties to the conflict provide the necessary security guarantees and conditions. Watch video testimony on the evacuation.

Laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and hygienic sanitary pads. Natalia and her 3 children received a kit.

Ariane reception center has now been operational for 2 weeks. More than 1,000 refugees resulting from the conflict in Ukraine have already arrived there before being assigned long-term accommodation. Ariane is in fact a transit center, a temporary place of residence. It has a maximum capacity of 1,500 beds. We provide sleeping facilities, sanitation, food and Internet there. Internet? Yes, internet. For many refugees, it is the only possible line of contact with the home front. There is also attention to psychosocial and medical counseling. The language of communication at the center is English. Just about all residents speak Russian or Ukrainian. Interpreters ensure that everyone can communicate with each other. For the staff at Ariane shelter, these were intense days and weeks. It remains a tour de force to get a transit center of this size operational within a period of 4-5 days. We are extremely grateful to all the volunteers and colleagues involved for their endless efforts. Also the Civil Protection who were ready when needed and the National Crisis Center and Fedasil for the smooth cooperation.

Since Feb. 24, the Ukrainian Red Cross has provided assistance to more than 400,000 people and distributed more than 2,649.5 tons of humanitarian supplies throughout Ukraine.

A video of metal suitcases bearing the logo of the International Red Cross is surfacing on various social media these days. Inside the suitcases, cash can be seen. According to the disseminators, it is money laundering or a conspiracy and the video was shot in Ukraine. It wasn't. The Red Cross distances itself from this. The Fact Check editors of VRT NWS took a closer look at the video:

Check by VRT NWS

The situation in Ukraine is dramatic. Providing basic needs for people who are in cities or fleeing remains an immense task that requires a lot of financial resources. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is therefore committing 4 million euros to help victims. And that in consultation with the International and Danish Red Cross. The amount comes from the Ukraine 1212 action. As a partner of the consortium, our organization will receive part of the money raised. On behalf of all the victims, we would like to once again thank everyone who donated. The Red Cross volunteers and staff also deserve our enormous thanks and respect. What they do is and remains admirable. At the risk of their lives, they work tirelessly to help the affected people - injured, elderly, refugees, sick, families still on the ground. The Red Cross teams try to see the needs of the population that is sheltering from the violence or fleeing domestically. To then provide solutions and that is mainly about basic needs like food, potable water, blankets/mattresses, medicines and medical supplies.

• In Dnipro, for example, sleeping mats were distributed to some 500 refugees and sleeping quarters at the train station were better equipped.
• Medical equipment was delivered to hospitals in Kyiv, Donetsk and Marioupol to care for the wounded.
• Insulin was delivered to a children's hospital in Kiev so that 1,500 children can receive their dose of insulin for 4 weeks.
• 14 tons of foodstuffs - such as cereals, wheat flour, pasta and various grains - were brought to the municipalities of Toretsk and Avdeevka Hromadas for further distribution to vulnerable communities (elderly, sick).
• 200 tons of medical and relief goods were distributed to Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odessa, Poltava and other places. The goods included blankets, hygiene products, jerry cans, kitchen sets and tarpaulins.
• Some 1,150 food packages and 1,150 hygiene kits, plastic sheeting and tarpaulins were distributed in Makeevka and Novoazovsk (Donetsk).

Since there are a lot of refugees in Ukraine itself, the Red Cross also focuses its attention on that. For example, the Danish Red Cross, among others, provides support to the Ukrainian Red Cross for people fleeing and those affected by the conflict in Western Ukraine.

• Last week, more than 1,200 people in that region received direct support to meet their basic needs for food, hygiene, sanitation and shelter.
• The Danish Red Cross also helped distribute relief supplies to refugees at various locations in the Chernivtsi region. This included the delivery of food, distribution of blankets and other items for shelter, as well as hygiene and cleaning kits.
• In Chernivitsi, there are some 36 facilities accommodating 5,000 refugees. After the first visits by Red Cross teams to collective centers, it was decided to start recreational activities for children twice a week in a number of places and to begin establishing three Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). 

Since the start of the conflict - as early as 2014 - Red Cross organizations present in Ukraine have been expanding. Because of the increasing humanitarian needs. This is the strength of the larger Red Cross movement: the combination of international and local support as well as reinforcement by other countries. We continue to scale up in the conflict area. There are mobile teams in cities such as Kiev, Poltava, Dnipro, Odessa, Donetsk and Luhansk.

On Friday, March 18, we held a big job day from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders . The goal was to find 70 staff members for the emergency shelter for refugees in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe. Today, the first 29 people are already starting. These are logistical and administrative positions and people who can assist the refugees.A second group of people will follow in the first week of April to start up. We are happy to have found so many suitable people in such a short time. The new emergency shelter has only been there for a few days. The first call was made only last Tuesday. That we find so many people in a few days shows that the solidarity of the Flemish people is enormous.

Mouth masks continue to be recommended and a good idea for preventing viral infections. Therefore, we are very grateful to Delhaize for the - in addition to financial - material support. Because it donated 2.5 million mouth masks for refugees, employees and volunteers in the emergency shelter.

In a war situation, family members often literally lose each other. That's why there is Restoring Family Links by Red Cross. To bring loved ones together again. Colleague Marijke talks about it today on MNM: listen to the radio clip. Also Sporza journalist Aster Nzeyimana found his father back thanks to Restoring Family Links. Aster: "I remember how someone from the Red Cross stood at the door with a letter. I will never forget that moment. That's how I met my dad, and my parents are still happily together today. So it's very clean that something like that can happen. "He came to testify about it on the Ukraine 1212 show: watch the clip.

With Action Day Ukraine 12-12 today, several Flemish broadcasters want to raise as much money as possible to help Ukrainians. But what exactly happens with your donation? Sofie De Jaeger of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders talks on Radio about the use of these funds for humanitarian aid: listen to the excerpt.

Today several Flemish broadcasters are joining forces to make radio and TV all day in support of the victims of the war in Ukraine. The aim is to collect donations for various relief organizations, including Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.

Today, emergency shelter Ariane in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe opens its doors to refugees following the conflict in Ukraine. Red Cross volunteers and civilian volunteers have been working hard to make it ready in time. It is a temporary place for refugees with a capacity of 1,500. Spokesman for Belgian Red Cross-Flanders Jan Poté explains, "First, refugees have to register. Then they are either picked up by friends or family, or they continue directly to cities and towns, or there is still a buffer period of 1 to 2 days during which they can temporarily stay in the emergency shelter to find some rest and relaxation. After that, they move on from Ariane."

Today the ICRC together with the Ukrainian Red Cross is helping to safely evacuate thousands of civilians from the city of Sumy. The operation consists of 2 convoys with at least 80 buses traveling from Sumy and to Lubny.

Commissioned by Fedasil, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders plans to have a larger reception capacity for refugees from Ukraine operationally ready by now Wednesday. In the Ariane building, located at Arianelaan 7 in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe, 1,500 reception places are being prepared for this purpose. 

Fedasil and Belgian Red Cross-Flanders are currently hosting about 150 Ukrainian refugees at the emergency shelter in Molenbeek (Home Sebrechts). These are Ukrainians who were already registered in Bordet or the Heysel and could not immediately be accommodated through either friends & family or cities & towns. The current capacity of the emergency shelter in Molenbeek is 250 people.

With the new emergency shelter Arianne, Fedasil and Belgian Red Cross-Flanders want to be prepared for a much larger influx of refugees and thus have 1,500 places available. The intention of the emergency reception center remains that people stay there for 1 to maximum 2 days and then move on to cities & towns. During that period, refugees are given space to already calm down, tell their stories, feel safe and discuss with supervisors what the next steps in reception are.

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is preparing to keep this emergency shelter open for a longer period of time and therefore also starting the search for 70 new employees. These include reception staff, logistics staff, night supervisor, daytime supervisors, etc.

A job day will be held on Friday, March 18, at the Ariane site, Ariannelaan 7 - 1200 Sint Lambrechts-Woluwe (from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Refugees usually have a very intense and not obvious journey behind them. As a host family, how do you deal with the emotions, worries and possible psychological problems of the refugees you host? The Belgian Red Cross-Flanders offers tips in the framework of First Aid for Psychological Difficulties (FAMP). The tips offer host families a handhold to offer them initial psychological support. You will also find out where to turn for professional help.

In 4 steps: how to assist refugees in difficult moments?

Acute and increasingly dire. This is how we can describe the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people have no food, no water, no heating, no electricity and no medical care. Homes have been reduced to rubble, families are sheltering under the ground for hours. To help as many people in need as possible, the International Red Cross (ICRC) continues to expand operations. For Belgian Red Cross-Flanders , supporting ICRC colleagues and local teams is our top priority. And currently, the best way to do that is with financial support. Hence, we are collecting donations to help. What happens to the funds? You can read about that on this page, which we update regularly.

"ICRC teams have delivered medical supplies, food, water and hygiene materials in Kiev, Mariupol, Odessa, Donetsk, Luhansk and many other places. But to help the skyrocketing number of people in need, more is needed. That is why we are mobilizing more personnel and supplies to Ukraine and neighboring countries," said Martin Schüepp, ICRC regional director for Europe and Central Asia.

Additional ICRC staff arrived in Ukraine this week:

• medical staff
• weapons and ammunition security specialists
• emergency team members

In addition, ICRC teams traveled to Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Russia to strengthen Red Cross departments there. Among other things, to help set up logistical hubs. These are needed to send relief goods to Ukraine more efficiently.

Between Feb. 22 and March 8, the International Red Cross undertook numerous relief operations in cooperation with the Ukrainian Red Cross. An overview:

Medical

• Delivery of medical supplies to Intensive Care Hospital and Children's Hospital in Mariupol
• Medical aid at different centers for refugees within own country in Mariupol
• Delivery of surgical materials to 3 hospitals in Kiev (in cooperation with Doctors Without Borders)
• Supply 2.5 tons of insulin in Odessa, enough for 6,500 people for 6 months; insulin for 9,000 people in Dnipropetrovsk, enough for 3 months
• Psychosocial assistance to children and adults in basements and shelters in Kiev, Severodonetsk and Slovyansk
• Supply of 160 first aid kits

Delivery of food, water and relief supplies

• Food, water and hygiene items for 4,000 people at shelters in Mariupol
• 500 food parcels and hygiene kits, medicines and shelter materials in Gorlovka
• 7,000 liters of drinking water for Donetsk
• Fuel for Ukrainian Red Cross so it could deliver 750 aid packages in Kurenivka, Obolon and Podil
• Food for residents in Schastia, Triokhizbenka, Novoaidar
• 38,000 liters of bottled water for residents and health facilities around Donetsk
• 2.5 tons of water and 50 tarpaulins sent to officials in Kirovsk for distribution
• Food and shelter for 9 villages around Donetsk for displaced people
• Tools for water infrastructure repair teams in Donetsk
• Safe water, fuel and tarpaulins for Donetskiy residents
• Assist LuhanskGas in Vrubivka to repair gas pipelines
• Cash aid of nearly CHF 28,000 ($30,000) to the Ukrainian Red Cross in Kramatorsk
• Blankets, mattresses and jerry cans for 3 shelters in Severodonetsk
• $66,000 in cash aid to the local Red Cross branch in Lukansk
• Blankets, pillows and mats for displaced people in Novoazovskyi region
• 200 tarpaulins and plastic sheets in Luhansk
• 4,900 kg of potassium permanganate needed to purify water to Vodadonbassa Pokrovsk
• Relief supplies for 7,000 people donated to relief organization in Sviatohyrsk

Protection from weapons and ammunition

• ICRC specialists help clear unexploded ordnance
• 500 signs for Ukrainian Red Cross to demarcate dangerous UXO-infected areas
• Emergency briefings and communication around "Risk Awareness and Safe Behavior"

The International Red Cross engages in sustained, bilateral and confidential dialogue with all parties to the conflict. The talks cover the conduct of hostilities and the protection of the civilian population. It emphasizes that the obligations of International Humanitarian Law must be respected.

Ukrainian Red Cross staff and volunteers meanwhile managed to distribute 90,000 food and hygiene packages to people fleeing the conflict region. Already more than 12,000 people also received training first aid. Most people are fleeing to Poland. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) already more than 1.2 million. The emergency response team of the Polish Red Cross is coordinating that influx. More than 20 rescue teams (about 450 medics) provide 24-hour health care and psychosocial support to 5 of the 8 border areas and in major Polish cities. Polish Red Cross teams also support the authorities in providing cribs, blankets and hygiene kits in the shelters. Not to mention in recovering or contacting family members (Restoring Family Links). Furthermore, the Polish Red Cross has been able to cross the border to provide humanitarian assistance to people still waiting in line at the Ukrainian border. For Belgian Red Cross-Flanders , supporting those local teams (as in Poland) is our highest priority. And that is currently best done with financial support. This allows local departments on the ground to quickly and efficiently purchase medicine, food, water, SIM cards and other necessities. Would you also like to help? You still can. The account BE53 0000 0000 5353 with the mention 'Ukraine' remains active. Online donations are also possible.

The situation in Ukraine shows us how important it is to respect International Humanitarian Law. These are rules that state, among other things, that civilians should not be targeted during armed conflict. And that neutral and impartial assistance, e.g. from the Red Cross, should always be possible. Colleague Laura De Grève explained this during De Afspraak last Monday. Red Cross calls on all parties to the conflict to respect IHL. Want to help spread the message? Share International Red Cross posts on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Or those from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or Twitter.

The Flemish government is releasing 400,000 euros for humanitarian aid to victims of the conflict in Ukraine. Of this, 200,000 euros will go to the Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) to provide refugees with shelter and medical assistance. PCPM is the largest development cooperation NGO in Poland. The remaining 200,000 euros will go to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. The money will be used to provide assistance to civilians, the wounded, the sick and those deprived of their freedom. For this purpose we cooperate with our Red Cross colleagues in Ukraine and with the International Red Cross(ICRC).

Currently, a team of volunteers from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is providing logistical help in setting up the shelter in Sebrechts. Everything is being prepared for the arrival of the first refugees from the conflict in Ukraine. A team of Red Cross volunteers will also remain present during the coming period. To help and use their expertise in different areas: reception, orientation of refugees, first aid and psychosocial support.

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is transferring €1 million to the International Red Cross (ICRC) for humanitarian aid. €250,000 of the money will come from its own emergency relief fund and €750,000 from preliminary proceeds from the 5353 account. We thank everyone who has already deposited a contribution. The money will be used to purchase food, water, medicine and first aid equipment to help the vulnerable and affected. Florence Gillette, head of the ICRC delegation in Kiev, said, "The priority of the International Red Cross is to help people in need. As long as the security situation allows, our teams now in Ukraine will continue their work to restore vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicine and equipment and help families with food and hygiene items."

The dedication of the volunteers and staff of the Ukrainian Red Cross is admirable. They deserve the utmost respect. At the risk of their lives, they work tirelessly to help the affected people - wounded, elderly, refugees, sick, families still on the ground. That is why we call for the space for neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian action to be safeguarded. All aid workers must reach the civilian population. They must be protected. The Ukrainian Red Cross works with 3,000 volunteers and 550 permanent staff. In addition, International Committee of the Red Cross has some 600 permanent staff members stationed in the country. Furthermore, Red Cross associations in Ukraine and neighboring countries have mobilized thousands more volunteers in recent days. They have local knowledge, language skills and above all the necessary Red Cross training to assist people in an efficient and coordinated way.

Supporting Red Cross colleagues in Ukraine as well as Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Russia is currently the top priority. They need additional resources to help those in need. Supporting them is best done financially. Hence, from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders , we are further committed to that. The account BE53 0000 0000 5353 with mention 'Ukraine' remains active. Also online donations to help are welcome. In addition, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders is also a partner in the Consortium 1212 which yesterday launched the Ukraine 12-12 campaign. We remain in close contact with Red Cross Societies in the conflict area and with the International Red Cross (ICRC) to see what practical relief actions are needed and/or where financial help is needed.

Every day we ask local Red Cross branches in the conflict region what they need to provide humanitarian aid. Right now, that money is to purchase medicine, SIM cards, food and water locally. Otherwise, there is no demand for goods from the region. Therefore, we are not making an appeal for that here at the moment. Only for financial support. We also follow the advice of the ICRC.

Monday, February 28, we opened our special phone number for the Restoring Family Links service following the conflict in Ukraine. Some requests have already come in. For the time being, we notice that the telephone connections in Ukraine are still working well. As a result, contacts with the home front are still working quite well for the time being. We do expect more requests in a few weeks, once more Ukrainian refugees have arrived in our country and want to inquire about those left behind.

Those who want to help can also contact consortium 1212 to set up an action, make a donation to BE19 0000 0000 1212 or as an ambassador. Consortium 1212 is the Belgian consortium for emergency relief situations of which we as Belgian Red Cross-Flanders are also partners.

There is already humanitarian need in Ukraine. There is also great concern about refugee flows as a result of the violence. In the border town of Przemyśl, the Polish Red Cross is taking in refugees. Our Polish colleagues provide them with shelter, relief supplies, medical supplies and psychological support. To support the local Red Cross societies there with the purchase of food, water, blankets, tents for shelter and medical equipment, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders today is already releasing €250,000 from its own emergency relief fund.

Tracing and restoring contact with missing relatives is a service that has been active within Belgian Red Cross-Flanders for decades. Anyone who has lost contact with family members as a result of war, armed conflict, natural disaster or migration can call on it. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders cooperates with other Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide for this purpose. And with special delegates in conflict areas. People who have relatives in Ukraine and have lost contact (fleeing, sheltering somewhere, no longer having access to a telecommunications network, in one of the refugee shelters in a neighboring country, etc.) can contact Belgian Red Cross-Flanders 's Restoring Family Links service from Monday, Feb. 28, on the specially provided telephone number 015 44 34 07.

The Red Cross is calling on all parties involved in the conflict to comply with the obligations of International Humanitarian Law(IHL). That includes protecting the civilian population. And not just civilians, also those who are no longer participating in the fighting such as prisoners, wounded or sick. International Humanitarian Law is clear. All parties to the conflict are required by law to ensure that military operations are conducted in a way that protects civilians and civilian objects. In addition, neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian action must be protected. Aid workers such as those of the Ukrainian Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the wider International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies must continue to have access to civilians. Critical infrastructure to be spared. Water, gas and electricity systems that provide e.g. civilian homes, schools and medical facilities with water and power are vital. Attacks involving new technologies and cyber assets must also spare those critical infrastructures.

The media reports extensively on the conflict. Want to stay specifically informed about Red Cross activities? You can follow ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) closely via the International Red Cross website or via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. On this page we bring regular updates on the actions of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.

Not at the moment. However, we are in close contact with the International Red Cross (ICRC) and local Red Cross organizations (colleagues in Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Poland, etc.). on the ground. As soon as a request for help comes from there, we take action. E.g. with the delivery of relief goods, logistical or psychological support, financial help or others. Together, we continue to analyze daily which aid actions are needed and where financial assistance is needed to help the victims.

The Ukrainian Red Cross has 3,000 volunteers and 550 professionals. In addition, relief workers from the International Red Cross are in Ukraine and border areas to support them. Helping those aid workers can be done by transferring funds for direct humanitarian assistance to those affected. On this page we bring regular updates on their deployment. 

Sure. All help is desperately needed. That is why we have opened an account to enable humanitarian aid in Ukraine and surrounding countries. Those who want to help, can deposit an amount on BE53 0000 0000 5353 stating 'Ukraine' or make a donation online. From 40 euros a donation is tax deductible (for 45 %). 

Help out and make a donation

What the money will be used for? We like to be transparent about that. It will be used for direct humanitarian aid (e.g. water, other foodstuffs, medical and hygiene equipment) to people affected by the conflict. Where the need is greatest. On this page, we will provide regular updates on that.