The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
With temperatures continuing to plunge in Ukraine, nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas by the war will probably spend winter without water, heat and electricity, and 18 million will need humanitarian aid, according to UN estimates.
“50% of people, you know, are directly affected by electricity", said Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine. "Everybody in the country is facing energy cuts at the moment, you know, but it’s 50% of direct infrastructure has been affected by these attacks within Ukraine.”
Speaking from the sidelines of an international donor conference currently hosted in Paris to help Ukraine to survive winter’s freezing temperatures and to rebuild after the war with Russia, Mr. Cilliers said that “the UN realizes that nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas will probably go without water, heat and electricity in the coming winter.”
Mr. Cilliers added that “it is estimated that nearly 18 million people, or 40% of Ukraine’s population, will need some sort of humanitarian aid during these periods of time.”
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working together with the World Bank on a damage assessment report and the need of energy structure. UNDP is also bringing in voltage equipment for the restoration of the energy grip which will be crucial not only for the immediate needs but also on the long term.
Furthermore, so the UNDP Resident Representative, “we are working on mine action and rubble removal. It is a fact that nearly 6.7 million people have left the country. So there’s a lot of people outside that are looking to come in and back into the country, but they need to be safe, and they need to know that when they enter their communities and that they return to their communities that these areas are also cleared from mines and dangerous ordinances.”
At the end of October 2022, over 6.5 million people are estimated to be internally displaced, while 7.8 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe, most of them women and children. “Our top priority is to deliver the winterization response and critical assistance to people, including housing protection and assistance programs for internally displaced people and other conflict-affected people as well,” noted UNHCR’s spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo.
With over 715 attacks on health care facilities and the difficulty to reach crucial help on time, the World Health Programme (WHO) stressed the enormous mental stress under which the population has been suffering. The lack of electricity is adding another health damage.
“When people are in this dire situation, with no electricity, no heating, they turn to alternative sources like diesel, like wood fuels in very crowded situations », said WHO’s spokesperson Margaret Harris. « And that creates toxic substances that will increase the harm to people’s lungs, especially children and old people. And as we know, we are also seeing a large rise in respiratory illness and other respiratory infections beyond COVID. So we’ve got respiratory syncytial virus causing a lot of bronchiolitis and bronchitis with also going to see flu surge. We’re also concerned about diphtheria and measles in large unvaccinated populations.”
Furthermore, large numbers of people affected with HIV in the Donetsk region were not able to receive their medication during the last months.
“We really need humanitarian corridors, we really need the opportunity, the chance to help those many, many people in need,” said Margaret Harris.
-ends-
STORY: Ukraine Winterization UNDP - WHO - UNHCR
TRT: 2 mins 39 s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 13 December 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Medium shot, UN Geneva flag alley in snow.
- Wide shot, press room with panel of speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “The UN realizes that nearly 10 million Ukrainians who live in the most affected areas will probably go without water, heat and electricity in the coming winter.”
- Medium shot, journalists taking notes, screen of speakers in the background.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “It is estimated that nearly 18 million people, or 40% of Ukraine’s population, will need some sort of humanitarian aid during these periods of time.”
- Medium shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “We are working on mine action and rubble removal. It is a fact that nearly 6.7 million people have left the country. So there’s a lot of people outside that are looking to come in and back into the country, but they need to be safe, and they need to know that when they enter their communities and that they return to their communities that these areas are also cleared from mines and dangerous ordinances.”
- Medium shot, speaker panel and screen of press room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers: “50% of people, you know, are directly affected by electricity. Everybody in the country is facing energy cuts at the moment, you know, but it’s 50% of direct infrastructure has been affected by these attacks within Ukraine.”
- Wide shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo: “Our top priority is to deliver the winterization response and critical assistance to people, including housing protection and assistance programs for internally displaced people and other conflict-affected people as well.”
- Medium shot, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), WHO spokesperson, Margaret Harris: “When people are in this dire situation, with no electricity, no heating, they turn to alternative sources like diesel, like wood fuels in very crowded situations. And that creates toxic substances that will increase the harm to people’s lungs, especially children and old people. And as we know, we are also seeing a large rise in respiratory illness and other respiratory infections beyond COVID. So we’ve got respiratory syncytial virus causing a lot of bronchiolitis and bronchitis with also going to see flu surge. We’re also concerned about diphtheria and measles in large unvaccinated populations.”
- Wide shot, press room, panel in the background, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), WHO spokesperson, Margaret Harris: “We really need humanitarian corridors, we really need the opportunity, the chance to help those many, many people in need.”
- Close-up shot, journalist taking photo with phone.
- Close-up shot, spokesperson listening.
- Close-up shot, journalists in front of the screen.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNESCO
UNESCO protects cultural sites in war-torn Middle East, confirming damage to key heritage.
1
1
1
Edited News | UN WOMEN
The war in Gaza has inflicted a far higher toll on women and girls than in previous conflicts in the Palestinian enclave, with more than 38,000 killed by Israeli air bombardment and land military operations since Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel sparked the war in October 2023, UN Women said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
In 2025, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, making it the deadliest year on record in South and Southeast Asia, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNFPA , IFRC
Lebanon faces escalating violence, with new mothers uncertain of safety amid ongoing crises.
1
1
1
Edited News | FAO , UNHCR , WHO
Sudan: 14 million displaced; hunger and attacks on health continue as war enters fourth year
As Sudan approaches the third anniversary of a brutal civil war, millions remain displaced and hungry while the health system lies in ruins, with no end to the violence in sight, UN agencies said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNHCR , WFP
Lebanon: People ‘still under the rubble’ after massive strikes as ambulances, hospitals come under threat – UN humanitarians
With Lebanon still reeling from Israel’s devastating airstrikes on 8 April, UN humanitarians reported new fears of attacks on ambulances and looming food shortages in the south of the country on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Lebanon: disease risks on the rise as displacement surges
With displacement in Lebanon past the one million mark, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday about the spread of infectious diseases in shelters and surging mental health needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
UN peacekeepers are supporting civilians who’ve chosen to stay in the south amid deadly dangers from Israel-Hezbollah clashes, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandace Ardiel tells us.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WFP
Middle East war fallout: Hundreds of thousands flee Lebanon to Syria; vital food aid blocked – UN agencies
The trauma of mass displacement and humanitarian supply chain disruptions throughout the world are among the devastating impacts of the war raging in the Middle East, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Bitterness, sadness and pride for UNRWA staff, says departing chief
Asking the softly spoken, veteran humanitarian worker Philippe Lazzarini how he feels as he comes to the end of his second term as the head of the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is perhaps an unfair question.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , WHO
Middle East war causes civilian terror and disrupts aid, but some relief efforts resume.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council, delivering a video statement on the strike that hit a girls school in Minab, Iran recently, calling for accountability and protection of children.