The U.N. office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reports a first inter-agency humanitarian convoy reached Ukrainian government-controlled areas close to Soledar Friday morning in the eastern Donetsk Oblast.
OCHA spokesman, Jens Laerke, says supplies from the three-truck humanitarian convoy, which departed from Dnipro, were being offloaded. He says the supplies, which are provided by several U.N. agencies, include food, water, hygiene kits, and medicines.
“It is intended for 800 people who remained in this area, which has been contested, which has seen its fair share of hostilities, and there is widespread disruption," Laerke said. "So, people are in dire need of aid there, so we are happy that this convoy has indeed reached.”
Laerke says the aid will be distributed to civilians living in communities surrounding Soledar. This town, which has seen some of the most intense fighting in the war, was captured by Russian forces last week.
OCHA spokesman Laerke says no aid convoy is envisioned for Soledar for now because of the security situation. He says access is something that needs to be assessed on a day-to-day basis because of the unsettled conditions.
“So, as with other areas that we have reached for the first time, we hope to reach them again because when aid such as food and other material come in, of course that will run out," Laerke said. "That lasts for a certain period of time, and then we need to return.
Laerke notes the U.N. is striving to increase the number of inter-agency convoys sent to frontline areas where needs are most acute. He says more convoys are expected in the days ahead.
