The Russian attacks during the coldest time of the year have left their mark on the civilian population in Ukraine. The attacks on critical infrastructure, as reported by our television channels, do not even begin to describe the long-term consequences that the civilian population will have to cope with in the coming days. Members of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) in Kyiv reported on Telegram and other channels their despair, how they were unsure how to prepare a hot meal for their young children in temperatures of -20°C and below, without electricity or running water. Families with infants, for whom there were no more diapers, were at their wits’ end. People couldn’t sleep because they didn’t know where the next drone would strike. Every trip through the cold to buy something, only to find it unavailable because the trucks hadn’t reached the stores, robbed them of a measure of their hope. What could be managed in Kyiv and other major cities through civil defence and the solidarity of the population through damage control was sorely lacking in the villages near the border. They were unreachable for helpers for days.

Anton Alekseyev, head of the ISHR (International Society for Human Rights) Ukraine section, reports that he and his supporters have resumed their aid packages.

“March is one of the coldest months in Ukraine; there will continue to be power outages. In the villages, we can bring light into the darkness with battery-powered lamps and help people cook with small generators. Due to the Russian attacks, the supply chain has been disrupted in many places, and there is a shortage, especially of hygiene products, medicines, and medical supplies such as plasters and bandages. And this is also true: you get less for the same money now. But the poor are not to blame for that. We hope you will support us,” Alekseyev wrote via Telegram.

ISHR provides monthly support to its office in Kyiv, enabling essential items to be purchased locally. At the same time, dedicated volunteers in Frankfurt and other locations continue to pack parcels, each worth around €30, which are transported to a central warehouse in Ukraine and then collected and delivered directly to the recipients.

Through this support, ISHR helps ensure that urgently needed supplies reach people affected by the war directly and practically.