How you can help Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's invasion

Written by Eric Revell, Countable News

What’s the story?

• A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, which has featured fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces with civilians frequently caught in the crossfire that has consumed many of Ukraine’s cities and villages in the country’s north, south, and east. The scale of the war and the ensuing refugee crisis are at a level unseen on the continent of Europe since World War II.
• Russia’s military has been accused of war crimes including summary executions of civilians; indiscriminate shelling that hits hospitals, residential areas, retirement communities, schools, and religious facilities; rape; forced relocations; and firing on humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations. 
• Estimates of civilian casualties vary and are likely underreported due to the active combat and the severity of the destruction in Ukraine, but from the beginning of Russia’s invasion through May 10th the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 7,061 civilian casualties with 3,381 killed. 
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that as of May 18th there have been 6,361,116 refugees from Ukraine who’ve entered neighboring countries to escape the war zone. Of those refugees, 3,418,077 have gone to Poland; 937,082 to Romania; 620,486 to Hungary; 466,406 to Moldova; 429,705 to Slovakia; and 27,308 to Belarus; while 875,597 have gone to Russia.
• As of late March, more than 20% of Ukraine’s pre-war population had been displaced due to the Russian invasion, as over 10 million people had been driven from their homes and have either fled the country as refugees or are internally displaced within Ukraine. 

How you can help

• The Red Cross is providing lifesaving aid and humanitarian assistance inside Ukraine and in neighboring countries. Over the last month, Red Cross teams have distributed over 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid including food, bedding, tents, water, and hygiene items to more than 300,000 people across Ukraine; evacuated over 58,000 people; provided first aid training to over 42,000 people across the country; assisted with the evacuation of people with disabilities; helped reunite families; and supported logistics pipelines into Ukraine for critical goods. You can volunteer with your local Red Cross or make a donation to support their work (the Red Cross isn’t accepting in-kind donations as physical items are difficult to manage and transport).
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is delivering blankets, sleeping mats and bags, family tests, winter kits, water containers, sanitary items, and other items in addition to cash assistance for refugees. You can donate here.
• World Central Kitchen is serving meals in more than 30 cities and towns across Ukraine in addition to delivering thousands of tons of food and supplies. The WCK served over 6 million meals from February 24th through April 3rd. WCK is accepting donations in a variety of formats and has volunteer opportunities.
• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is providing emergency health, hygiene, and education supplies to communities in eastern Ukraine, in addition to delivering safe water, and supporting psychosocial care teams for children. UNICEF is accepting donations.
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is evacuating children with cancer from Ukraine to a triage center in Poland and then on to advanced cancer centers throughout Europe and North America (including St. Jude) so that they can continue treatment. As of March 23rd, more than 600 children have been evacuated. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is accepting donations.
• Samaritan’s Purse International Relief established an Emergency Field Hospital on the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine, near the Polish border that has capacity for 14 major surgeries or 30 minor surgeries per day, nearly 60 inpatient beds, and an emergency room with capacity for 100 patients per day. It is also operating three medical clinics, including a 24-hour facility at a Lviv train station, an emergency outpatient clinic in southern Ukraine, and an additional clinic in a bus station in Lviv. The organization is accepting donations and offers ways to get involved on its website.
• The Polish Migration Forum offers multilingual helplines for psychological assistance and general advice for refugees who’ve fled Ukraine, families who are concerned about their children’s well-being, and those with relatives in Ukraine who are feeling a sense of hopelessness. The organization also has psychologists to offer services at reception points and temporary accommodations for Ukrainian refugees. The group accepts donations and has volunteer opportunities.
• The International Rescue Committee is supporting evacuation efforts and providing psychological care, groceries, bedding, warm clothes, cooking materials, cash, and other essentials to displaced people in Ukraine. 
• The Kyiv Independent is a media outlet launched to uphold the principles of independent journalism and a free press that has provided extensive English-language coverage of the war in Ukraine. It has a GoFundMe page that’s accepting donations.

(Photo Credit: Mvs.gov.ua via Wikimedia / Creative Commons)