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IRD Partners with UN to Deliver Emergency Aid to Ukraine

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ARLINGTON, VA – IRD and the United Nations partnered to deliver 12 tons of emergency relief to hospitals in the contested area of Slovyanoserbsk, Luhansk oblast, Ukraine. The convoy was organized in response to reports that the Slavyanoserbsk general and psychiatric hospitals and the Lyutikovskiy regional psychiatric hospital were in catastrophic condition, with no heat and little food. Patients were starving and there was an urgent need for heaters, warm clothing, blankets, and hygiene items.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Interior escorted the UN-IRD convoy to the frontline village of Triokhizbenka where the bridge – which serves as the dividing line between combatants – has partially collapsed. The cargo was offloaded and carried by hand across the bridge in a six-hour operation. Fifteen civilians from the Slavyanoserbsk administration and two from IRD helped move the supplies, which were met on the other side by the head of the Slavyanoserbsk administration and the director of the psychiatric hospital. The transfer of the deliveries to hospital warehouses took four round trips in four ambulances.

According to IRD Senior Program Officer Rich Wagner, “While some shelling could be heard in the distance, both Ukrainian military and LPR armed groups completely respected the humanitarian mission and observed a ceasefire all day in all regions in and around Slavyonoserbsk.” Wagner added that both sides expressed their gratitude to the UN for assisting families and patients as well as their willingness to cooperate in future operations.