Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA 15 November 2024
/
2:45
/
MP4
/
322.8 MB
Download

Edited News | OCHA

Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA 15 November 2024

1000 days into Ukraine war, winter poses a critical challenge, says top aid official

In the nearly 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, thousands of civilians have been killed, the country’s energy capacity is on the brink and drones terrify communities on the front line, the UN’s top aid official in the country said on Friday.

Speaking in Geneva, Matthias Schmale described the anguish felt by Ukrainians as the war grinds on: “As we are not only approaching winter but also the sad 1,000-day mark since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in 2022, we are of course thinking of the more than 12,000 people have been killed…To date, civilian infrastructure has been decimated with over 2,000 attacks now on healthcare facilities and two million damaged homes.”

Almost four in 10 people in Ukraine need humanitarian assistance but one of the most pressing concerns is for people living in high-rise buildings who face their third consecutive freezing winter, because of “systematic attacks” on energy infrastructure.

Living without heating

“I am told that by now, 65 per cent of Ukraine's own energy production capacity has been destroyed,” Mr. Schmale said. Where possible, UN aid teams and partners deliver solid fuel and warm clothing to vulnerable communities, but the situation is more precarious for the “huge number” of people living in blocks of flat. “You can evidently not deliver a ton of solid fuel to a high-rise building,” Mr. Schmale explained, adding that collective shelters in cities and towns that provide warm meals, a shower and a hot drink were welcome, but “not enough”.

One of the veteran humanitarian’s biggest concerns is if the Russian forces target the energy sector again, as the weather turns bitterly cold.

Mass displacement threat looms

“It could be a tipping point forcing further mass displacement both inside the country and outside the country,” Mr. Schmale warned. “So, this is not just about technical solutions, it’s about urging the international community to do its bit to stop this war.”

To date, the UN, national and international NGOs and volunteer organizations have reached 7.2 million people in Ukraine with at least one type of aid, thanks to the $1.8 billion received for the humanitarian response.

To prepare for winter and address the emergency needs of 1.8 million people until March by delivering solid fuel, ensuring water systems continue to work and by providing cash relief, the UN and partners require $500 million. But the situation is dangerous on the front line for communities and aid workers, nine of whom have been killed in the line of duty this year. Humanitarian facilities have also been damaged.

Drone terror

“Many people have told me on my visits that they feel civilians and civilian infrastructure and civil society are increasingly targeted by drone attacks; and drone attacks are terrible, I don’t need to describe that to you,” Mr. Schmale said, citing the testimonies of people describing being followed by drones. “Some of this is also psychological terror, because…you never quite know, will they strike or are they just observing?”

Asked to assess how the new US administration might work to alleviate suffering in Ukraine, the UN aid coordinator highlighted the Secretary-General’s wish that the “significant” humanitarian support of the United States would continue. “They have been by far our biggest individual country supporter,” Mr. Schmale said. “The hope is that they understand like the present administration that there are huge humanitarian needs that need to continue to be addressed.”

Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA

TRT: 03 min 35s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 15 NOVEMBER 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Speaker:

  • Matthias Schmale, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine


SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior medium: UN Geneva flag alley.
  2. Wide, UN Geneva Press room.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “As we are not only approaching winter but also the sad 1,000-day mark since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in 2022, we of course are thinking of the more than 12,000 people have been killed and almost 40 per cent of the people in Ukraine that are in need of humanitarian assistance.”
  4. Medium-wide, Press room, journalists, TV cameras.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “Civilian infrastructure has been decimated with over 2,000 attacks now on healthcare facilities and two million damaged homes.”
  6. Medium-wide, podium speakers, TV screens showing podium speakers and journalists.
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “A particular worry as I’m sure you’re aware is the systematic attacks on the energy infrastructure. I am told that by now, 65 per cent of Ukraine's own energy production capacity has been destroyed. And so, as we approach winter, we are of course particularly worried about this. We are trying to help people with, for example, solid fuel.”
  8. Medium, podium speakers, TV screen showing a speaker.
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “A lot of rebuilding has been done but not enough and the real concern is if they were to target the energy sector again it could be a tipping point forcing further mass displacement both inside the country and outside the country. So this is not just about technical solutions, it’s about urging the international community to do its bit to stop this war.”
  10. Medium, journalists in the Press room.
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “The work on the front line is dangerous; what we are observing and again many people have told me on my visits that they feel civilians and civilian infrastructure and civil society are increasingly targeted by drone attacks; and drone attacks are terrible, I don’t need to describe that to you.”
  12. Medium-wide, journalists.
  13. SOUNDBITE (English) – Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine: “Our hope obviously is and I think the UN leadership starting with the Secretary-General has expressed this clearly, that the significant support – the humanitarian support - of the United States will continue. They have been by far our biggest individual country supporter. At a country level we have excellent relationships with the embassy there and with officials including from USAID. So I can only hope and I think too early and not my place to speculate on what the new administration will do in humanitarian terms. The hope is that they understand like the present administration that there are huge humanitarian needs that need to continue to be addressed.”
  14. Medium-wide, TV journalists, control booths, UN logo reflected in glass.
  15. Medium-wide, journalists, Press room.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA 15 November 2024
Download

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza ENG FRA

“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians

Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA ENG FRA

As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani  urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis  - UN humanitarians

Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO ENG FRA

UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount

Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday,  But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi

1

1

1

Edited News

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi ENG FRA

A war reporter from Lebanon who lost a limb in the line of duty is calling for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists.

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | ITU

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025 ENG FRA

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OCHA

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gazans ‘in terror’ after another night of deadly strikes and siege

Amid reports that Israeli strikes across Gaza into Friday killed at least 64 people, aid teams once again pushed back strongly at allegations that aid is being diverted to Hamas and pleaded for the blockade to end.

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America ENG FRA

Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.   

Gaza health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza health update - WHO ENG FRA

Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO

In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.