Winter 2023-2024 Newsletter
Bohdan BurkoFebruary 24, 2024, marks the tragic anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, two years of massive bombardments and ground invasion, and ten years since the annexation of Crimea and the first invasion of Donbas. Our humanitarian mission has evolved over the years to meet the urgent needs of the affected populations.
Having been active in Ukraine since 2014, particularly in the war-torn areas of the east, our aid efforts intensified in 2022 with the onset of Russia’s full-scale offensive against Ukraine. Leveraging our experience, knowledge of Ukraine, and strong partnerships with civil society, institutions, and administration, we organized the dispatch and distribution of emergency aid to combat and bombardment zones from the first days of the large-scale Russian invasion.
HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT
Since 2014, Ukraine has faced a difficult situation resulting from Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the war in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Over 3,000 civilians have been killed, and more than 7,000 have been injured. Nearly 6 million people have been affected by these conflicts. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine, causing the most severe military, humanitarian, migratory, and ecological crisis in Europe since World War II. From February 24, 2022, AMCFU mobilized its convoys for emergency aid, transporting medicines, first aid kits, hemostatic products, vital equipment for treating the wounded, and ambulances.
KEY ACTIONS IN UKRAINE SINCE 02/24/2022
Medical Training: Training materials + €400k + over 45,000 people trained in war medicine (pre-hospital and hospital care) by supported training centers.
Vehicles: 159 vehicles, including 127 ambulances, 18 TPMR vehicles, 9 hearses, 2 city buses, 3 utility vans.
Energy Assistance: 40 industrial generators from 14kVA to 825kVa; 52 generators under 12 kVa; 249 electrical items.
Restoring Access to Drinking Water: Installation of 3 water towers in the Kharkiv region and 3 filtration stations in the Dnipro region.
Support for Children: Over 50,000 children aided. Medical aid, food, IT equipment, school supplies, clothing, and art therapy courses.
Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons: Over 200,000 IDPs aided. Food, clothing, hygiene products, intensive care beds – €100k, reanimation ventilators – €300k; contactless thermometers – €100k; maternity equipment – €100k; wound care equipment – €105k.
Mobilization and Financial Support: Over 13,000 donors and €5.5M in financial donations raised, over 150 volunteers mobilized.
Support for Medical and Social Institutions: Over 300 institutions aided.
Medical Support and Emergency Operations: Emergency and disaster medicine teams, demining teams from the Ministry of Emergencies, evacuation teams for the injured from the Ministry of Health and the Military Health Service. Aid in medical transport, medicines, equipment, medical devices, and training.
Aid to Disaster-Stricken Regions: Cooperation agreements with the Regional Councils of Kharkiv and Dnipro. Close cooperation with municipal and regional authorities in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. Direct contacts with local medical teams. Continuous assistance to medical and social institutions and civilian populations.
AEmergency Medical Aid: Delivery of medicines worth over €2.5M; 11,800 first aid kits and 30,000 wound care devices – €1.7M.
New Medical Equipment: Intensive care beds – €100k, reanimation ventilators – €300k; contactless thermometers – €100k; maternity equipment – €100k; wound care equipment – €105k.
These actions represent our ongoing commitment to the populations affected by the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis. We warmly thank our donors, volunteers, and partners for their support of our mission.
Bombed Hospitals: Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
On the night of February 13-14, 2024, the hospital in Selydove, located in the Donetsk region, was severely hit by Russian bombings. A mother, her 9-year-old son, and a pregnant woman lost their lives, while 12 others, including 4 children, medical staff, and patients, were injured.
This tragic incident is the latest in a series of repeated attacks on Ukrainian hospitals. Since 2014, we have been supporting this hospital, along with many other medical facilities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Over the years, we have become well-acquainted with them, especially the hospitals in Mariupol, Bakhmut, Kramatorsk, Selydove, Avdiivka, Marinka in the Donetsk region, as well as Schastya, Stanytsia Luhanska, Lysychansk, Sievierodonetsk, and Rubizhne… in the Luhansk region.
Bombed Hospitals: Tribute to Medical Staff
These facilities endured severe challenges during the war in Donbas, yet a portion of the medical staff remained to provide essential care to the population. The years of relative calm between 2017 and 2021 were dedicated to repairing damaged infrastructure and strengthening medical foundations, compensating for the loss of regional hospitals.
Since 2022, the situation has taken a dramatic turn. Many hospitals have been targeted by bombings, with some reduced to ruins, and several now lie in occupied territories. The war has spread to other regions, placing medical staff on the front lines in their efforts to save lives.
During our visits to these regions, we were deeply moved by the courage and sacrifices of the medical staff during the war. Polina, the head nurse of the Emergency and Disaster Medicine Service, met us in her department in Balakliya, located in the Kharkiv region. She shared her experiences during the six months of occupation, where her team chose to stay in Balakliya, becoming the only source of medical help for the residents.
“I often wonder how we survived that time because Balakliya was bombed every day, and the Russian troops in the city changed frequently. It was difficult to convince the new military commanders to let us evacuate critically ill patients to Ukrainian-controlled territories… I believe that while we were saving lives, our guardian angel was saving us. But it was only after the liberation that I fully realized the risks we had taken.”
Ukraine communicates little about its losses, even concerning medical personnel. Many healthcare professionals have lost their lives, been injured, or even taken hostage, despite their protected status. The Ministry of Health reported in February 2023 that 112 of its employees had lost their lives during the first year of the Russian offensive against Ukraine. Currently, it is estimated that nearly 300 doctors remain captive as prisoners of war. No figures have been provided by the Ministry of Military Health.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health reports that during the first 20 months of the Russian offensive (February 24, 2022 – November 7, 2023), 1,468 civilian hospitals were damaged, of which 193 were completely destroyed. Material damages include the destruction of 253 vehicles and 103 damaged ambulances, as well as the theft of 125 ambulances during the retreat of Russian troops.
