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Home , Sloviansk, Sloviansk Raion, Sviatohirsk

Situation report No.3 as of 17 July 2014

This report is produced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 10 to 17 July 2014, unless otherwise noted. The next report will be published on or around 25 July. Highlights

• Military activities intensifying in sub- urban and urban 95,473 areas of internally displaced and cities Source: UNHCR with further increase anticipated in humanitarian needs in the areas. 130,000 • moved to (Jan-Jul) Reports of Source: Russian FMS displacement from Donetsk towards the west (Krasnoarmiis’k), south () and east (Russian Federation); and from Luhansk primarily to the east (Russian Federation). • Restoration of essential services (except water supply) continues in the areas north of Donetsk, retaken by the Government, with reports of IDPs returning from within . • Response remains driven by the Government, local authorities and civil society. • Administrative difficulties and customs hurdles faced by some partners preparing for or supporting humanitarian response resulting in delays or cancellations of humanitarian assistance.

Situation Overview Military confrontation between Government forces and armed groups in the east of Ukraine (parts of region) shifted towards the regional urban centres of Donetsk (1 million inhabitants) and Luhansk (0.5 million inhabitants), where the insurgents have regrouped after losing strongholds north of Donetsk city in early July. Over the reporting period, intensified engagement was reported in the sub-urban areas of Donetsk and Luhansk with little or no significant gains on either side. While the Government has retaken most of the border crossings in the two regions, stretches of border territories remain outside of Government control, allowing for relatively unrestricted movement of goods and people into and out of Ukraine. As the fighting has moved towards the major, densely populated areas, an increase in number of civilian casualties has been reported, in addition to the losses among combatants. People in areas affected by violence and fighting are facing increasing limitations in accessing the full range of essential services, currently caused primarily due to distorted supply routes. Electricity, gas and water supplies are sporadically cut in areas affected by fighting, with emergency services so far still managing to restore supplies in most cases. Further restrictions and an increase in humanitarian needs are expected around the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. Serious human rights violations continue to be reported have been reported in the area; on 16 July, self-proclaimed authorities of the Donetsk People’s Republic imposed martial law and a night-time curfew in the city. Intensified fighting in the area of Donetsk and Luhansk is likely to result in further serious increase in displacement, with initial flows already monitored towards the end of the reporting period. Unspecified numbers of people are moving towards the west (Krasnoarmiis’k), south (Mariupol) and east (Russian Federation).

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Situation Report – Ukraine No. 3 | 2

Apart from irregular regular water supply at some locations, basic services have been restored in the former no-go areas in Donbas region and IDPs are returning to and Soviansk from displacement sites within and outside of the Donetsk oblast. Civil society, Government and a limited number of international actors continue to provide assistance at displacement sites and in the areas of return (food, health services and water distribution). Unexploded ordnance and mines present in the areas of return remain a security risk. UNHCR reported some 95,473 IDPs across Ukraine as of 18 July, with exact numbers likely higher due to the lack of a centralized registration system and IDPs believed to be blocked within the Donbas region. The draft law on IDPs adopted in June was returned to parliament by the President for further revision to meet the international standards. Since January 2014, some 130,000 have moved to Russia as a result of the ongoing violence.1 The humanitarian community continues scaling up its preparedness and monitoring activities, advocacy and provision of targeted response, in close coordination with the Government, local authorities and civil society. The joint inter-agency needs assessment (Humanitarian Situation Monitoring – HSM) of areas most affected by unrest and displacement (Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, , Luhansk, Zaporizhia) has been finalized with preliminary results already shared with partners. Humanitarian Preparedness & Response: sector updates

Education (sector-lead contact: Mr. Peter Nuttall, [email protected]) Preparedness: • The first Education sector meeting will be held on Thursday 24 July. The topics discussed will be return to schools and mine awareness campaigns. Needs: • No further information reported. Response: • No further information reported. Gaps & Constraints: • No further information reported.

Food and Nutrition Security (leads: Ms.Lani Trenouth, [email protected] [F] / Mr.Peter Nuttall, [email protected] [N]) Preparedness: • Analysis of the HSM phase 2 completed. • The first Food and Nutrition Security Sector Group (FNSSG) meeting, hosted by UNICEF and WFP, took place on 17 July. Needs: • Key highlights from HSM phase 2: o No food insecurity is reported at over 50 percent of the sites surveyed. o Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts are reported as the most affected areas. o Food availability: reduced diversity of the food available. o Food access: reduced food access as a result of high food prices coupled with declining household incomes, and due to security constraints, primarily in Donetsk. • The issues above have resulted in reduced caloric intake and diversity of the food basket consumed, primarily in Donetsk, Luhansk, and to a lesser extent in Zaporizhia. Response: • During the period of 7-14 July, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food coordinated the distribution of 101 metric tons of food in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The food was provided by agricultural and food processing companies, farmers, as well as individuals and local authorities. The food basket primarily included flour, sugar, grits, bread, pasta, vegetables, canned products and oil.

1 As reported by Russian Federal Migration Service as of 15 July 2014.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Situation Report – Ukraine No. 3 | 3

• In addition, local organizations carry out small ad hoc food distributions in the hotspots regions in the east as well as in the west. Gaps & Constraints: • Locating the IDPs and quantifying their actual needs remain a challenge. There is a lack of information on the local capacity, should there be a need to respond. • Further clarification on the potential Government request for humanitarian assistance is still needed. • Household-level food security assessments as well as market/price monitoring have not been feasible due to the current security constraints.

Health (sector-lead contact: Dr. Dorit Nitzan, [email protected]) Preparedness: • The health sector coordination structure is fully operational, with weekly sector meetings (WHO/Ministry of Health (MoH) co-chaired) complemented by bi-weekly mental health and psycho-social sub-sector (UNICEF/WHO co-chaired). • The Ukraine State Emergency Service (SES) reports that peace corridors are provided with sufficient medical care including psychiatric care, and state provided psychologists are ready to be included into the team upon the request. • WHO is developing a comprehensive web-based system to increase timeliness and efficiency of reporting. Needs: • The health impact of the crisis has been worsening over the past weeks, with needs increasing. • MoH and SES have provided official requests for humanitarian support to the health sector including a comprehensive list of emergency care medical needs for Donetsk and Luhansk • Donetsk region: o Shortages of insulin (imported), antibiotics, disinfectants, painkillers, dressings, suture material, syringes, systems, cardiovascular drugs, general anaesthesia support, needles and surgical instruments. Insufficient vaccine supply for the prevention of tuberculosis (BCG), diphtheria, pertussis (AaKDS), tetanus (tetanus antitoxin), haemophilus influenza, tuberculin skin test (PPD). Highly qualified specialists (emergency care, surgeons) are in urgent need. o In areas controlled by the Government access to health services remains critically insufficient. Twelve health care facilities are not operating, five of them are damaged and in need of reconstruction. Out- patient facilities for TB, psychiatric, drug-use, obstetrics and gynaecology in have been re- opened during the last week, but all in-patient services are still allocated within hospitals in neighbouring areas. Sloviansk Hospital (Mykolaivka) reopened its surgery, urology, cardiology and infectious diseases departments, but only for urgent cases, due to sporadic supplies of water and electricity. • Lugansk region: o Shortage of antibiotics, disinfectants, dressings, suture material, infusion solutions, artificial lung ventilation, needles and surgical instruments. Insufficient vaccine supply for the prevention of tetanus (tetanus antitoxin), as well as urgent need for paramedics, nurses and doctors (highly qualified – anaesthesiologists, neuro surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, abdominal cavity surgeons and others). ART access was reported to be limited due to logistic constraints (roadblocks in some of the areas). o All 45 healthcare facilities providing emergency health care in Luhansk region are reporting shortages. • Priority area 2 (Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia) o The Government is providing primary, secondary and specialized medical care in regions receiving IDPs. Extra funding is ensured to provide full health care for a six-month period to IDPs and host community. o Reported requirements pertain to the needs of renal dialysis patients, insulin dependents and patients with rare diseases; cardiovascular events increase is being reported, as well as limited bed capacities. Response: • All emergency health care requests in Donbas area are covered by present and operating health care resources and local and international NGOs (MSF), ICRC and are coordinated via local capacities using ICU facilities and prioritization of urgent needs (e.g. by reducing planned hospital admittances and elective surgery. All bed resources are coordinated to always have 10% of beds available (possibly ICU). • All IDPs’ health care requests are covered by local (regional) health care resources. All transferred TB, ART and OST patients are reported to have been provided with necessary medical care. Due to limited financial capacities, it will be difficult to ensure sufficient care until the end of the year. No worsening of sanitary and epidemiological situation was registered among IDPs according to the authorities. • WHO is on stand-by to provide emergency kits to Donbas region, subject resolution of regulatory and customs issues. MoH approved the lists, which are now waiting for PM clearance.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Situation Report – Ukraine No. 3 | 4

Gaps & Constraints: • WHO and other sector partners are facing difficulties responding to requests for assistance due to current regulatory and customs regulations. • Legislative constraints o Received humanitarian requests could not be met in a timely manner due to current procedures. o Existing health professional’s regulations make provision of volunteer’s teams difficult. • Information gaps o Data on health care capacities and needs are including MoH facilities only (not Ministry of Defence health care services, State Sanitary Epidemiological services and National Academy of Medical Sciences health services) leading to an underestimation of casualty and wounded estimates. o Lack of IDP registration makes access by IDPs to health services difficult or impossible as health care is provided to citizens in their registered area of residence. o Insufficient transparency on surveillance and monitoring of diseases and outbreaks, which might jeopardize timely interventions. Sanitary epidemiological assessment in Donbas area is limited as the service facilities (laboratories) are not operating. o Rapidly changing situation and needs make the understanding of regional needs difficult, particularly due to rapid reallocation of available resources within the region. • Logistics gaps o In case of power and water supply cut-off there is no recovery service, due to a blockade in fuel supply for diesel generators and for emergency medical services.2 o Availability of Government-provided pharmaceuticals (e.g. ART, OST, TB drugs) in Donbas area is limited due to road blocks, critically hampering the delivery of humanitarian supplies (medications, food).3 • Security issues o Security constraints hamper the provision of anaesthesia and narcotic drugs. o Staffing shortages reported due to resignations and problems of access to workplace (security risks, transport system). Some ambulance and emergency health workers have reported being under fire or threatened in case of failing to provide medical services. • Vulnerable groups o Roma IDPs are experiencing restrictions in access to Government provided health and social services for IDPs. Local authorities are reluctant to discuss suitable IDP arrangements for Roma. Response, if provided, is only successful if undertaken through volunteer services of Roma Health Mediators.

Livelihoods and Early Recovery (sector-lead contact: Ms. Inita Paulovica, [email protected]) Preparedness: • UNDP conducted a mission on the democratic governance and early recovery in Ukraine and is preparing a strategic paper to identify priority programming areas and approaches in Ukraine after the February 2014 events. • UNDP will prepare an informational campaign on employment and self-employment for IDPs in partnership with MSP, business and CSOs. Needs: • UNDP conducted an infrastructure damage assessment (phase 1). The preliminary results show that at least 865 public infrastructure and private residential buildings were damaged during the fighting to-date in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Financial damage is estimated at around $400 million. Response: • A 5-day seminar “Primary psychological support to families with children, children who are/ were in armed conflict zones and their psychological adaptation to a new place of living” took place on 14-18 July 2014. 26 specialists of centres for families, children and youth of all regions of Ukraine were trained. • 5,000 copies of the information booklet “Roadmap” for IDPs already copied and disseminated, with further 30,000 planned. • UNDP provided coordination support to MSP on issues of displacement of women and families with children. Gaps & Constraints: • No information reported.

2 Extreme shortage of petroleum products in Sloviansk resulted in the fact that of the remaining five ambulance vehicles only three on diesel fuel are operational, other 2 with petrol engine are not in use. Four cars were confiscated. 3 Humanitarian cargo of medicines and laboratory consumables for was confiscated while transferring through DNR checkpoint.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Situation Report – Ukraine No. 3 | 5

Protection (sector co-lead contact: Mr. Vanno Noupech, [email protected] / Ms. Fiona Frazer, [email protected]) Preparedness: • On 16 July, the returned the IDP law, adopted by Parliament on 19 June 2014, for further revision. UNHCR continues its work with the Ministry of Justice to bring the law in line with international standards to allow an effective response to the actual needs of IDPs. UNHCR shared its proposals for further amendments to the IDP legal framework with the President and relevant ministries. Needs: • As of July 18, the number of IDPs rose to 95,473. However, the statistics can be significantly higher with many IDPs believed to be blocked within the Donbas region, while others have not yet come forward to signal their presence to the authorities. • IDPs accommodated in facilities in rural areas not visited by volunteers, have limited to no access to legal aid and information on available assistance. • The Government has reported that it needs financial assistance to cover the costs of software development for the web-based IDP registration database, which could be operational in a month following the IT project finalization and Ministry of Social Policy staff training. • OHCHR continues to observe abductions and detentions of people currently living in areas under the control of armed groups, with reports of detainees facing torture, ill-treatment, and having to undertake forced labour. • With the ongoing hostilities in the eastern regions, OHCHR and partners are observing an increase in the number of people not involved in the fighting who have been killed and injured due to shelling and landmines – there is an urgent need for improved information on the number of deaths and injured, and the required assistance. Response: • The Ministry of Justice developed a draft procedure on the IDP certificate preparation and issuance for adoption by the Cabinet of Ministers. UNHCR experts positively evaluated the proposed certificate as meeting international standards. • Several regions, including and , adopted regional action plans on social welfare of IDPs. • Community-based organization (CBO) Vostok SOS shared with the Government its recommendations regarding the management of IDPs, including the need for electronic IDP registration, regular Government monitoring visits of IDP accommodation facilities, more places at schools and kindergartens reserved for IDPs, etc. • CBO diaspora has launched an education project to support entrepreneurs from eastern regions with re-registering their business. • CBO Crimea SOS has provided legal consulting to 150 IDPs over the hotline and during visits to seven collective centres in Kiev region. • OHCHR is tracking cases of detention by armed groups and the authorities, documenting testimonies, monitoring cases of ill-treatment, torture, lack of due process and disappearance. Gaps & Constraints: • The accurate number of IDPs and their specific needs are unknown due to the absence of a centralized registration system. Various governmental sources provide conflicting information on IDP numbers. • The Ukraine Government should establish a mechanism to coordinate public governmental and non- governmental assistance programmes, including a comprehensive information campaign for IDPs through helplines. • Lack of official information on the number of people killed in hostilities.

Shelter and NFIs (sector-lead contact: Mr. Vanno Noupech, [email protected]) Preparedness: • The sector has requested from SES the inventory of current and projected needs in case of massive influx of displaced persons. • Plans should also be developed to cover shelter, clothing and heating needs during the winter, in case a massive return to the areas currently under conflict materializes before or during the winter months. Needs: • Sector partners are receiving more requests for provision of NFIs (furniture, mattresses, household appliances, bed linens, cutlery and pottery) to improve accommodation conditions in the collective centres in region.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org Situation Report – Ukraine No. 3 | 6

• Many accommodation facilities stopped providing catering for IDPs and thus creating more pressure on civil society for delivering food and basic kitchen appliances. • A growing need for mid-term and long-term solutions developed by Government agencies for a possible protracted situation, in particular, longer-term planning is needed to make the accommodation facilities suitable for winter and cover the high costs of heating. • Assistance with mattresses and bed linen for a children camp in Donetsk region hosting 180 orphans was reported by the Ombudsman office following its assessment visit in . Response: • Ukrainian Red Cross and UNHCR are discussing the distribution of humanitarian aid in Kharkiv region, where some 23,500 IDPs are hosted. Additionally, UNHCR is preparing a delivery of basic relief items to Sloviansk following the inter-agency needs assessment of returnees from the nearby town of Sviatohirsk. Further dispatches to Kramatorsk and Novoazovsk are being planned. • CBOs Crimea SOS and Crimean Diaspora are providing small-scale deliveries to IDPs accommodated in the collective centres in Kyiv region. Gaps & Constraints: • At the provincial level, governors are mobilizing various Government agencies to respond to IDP needs, but coordination with NGOs remains problematic. • Civil society organizations across the country report growing needs in finding hosts and accommodation facilities for new arrivals, in particular in Kyiv, , Odessa, and Zaporizhia regions. • So far, the Government has allocated financial resources only to cover the costs of accommodating those from Crimea. Owners of sanatoriums and summer camps accommodating IDPs from Donetsk and Luhansk regions report being frustrated that they do not know when or if they will be compensated for the expenses they are incurring for taking in IDPs. • Ukraine’s legislation and policy of imposing taxes on humanitarian aid and personal income precludes tax-free provision of international aid to IDPs.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (sector-lead contact: Mr. Peter Nuttall, [email protected]) Preparedness: • The sector is examining methods of conducting appropriate hygiene awareness campaigns. Needs: • Water supply in Sloviansk is not yet fully restored with water distribution ongoing in some areas of the city. Response: • UNICEF has provided assistance in the form of hygiene kits for children to seven locations in the Donbas region this week. Gaps & Constraints: • For the first time, UNICEF experienced difficulties with its two major haulage contractors, who did not agree to deliver hygiene kits to Svatovo, Starobelsk and Sloviansk. Alternative methods are being investigated. General Coordination

• Five out of seven humanitarian sectors and one sub-sector are operational and meeting on a weekly basis, or as needed, resulting in increased coordination and information sharing. • On 14 July, representatives of the sector-lead UN agencies and the Government inter-agency task force coordination mechanism held a follow-up coordination meeting on the need and most effective ways to provide assistance to the population affected by the situation in the east. • The HSM phase 2 in the eastern regions of Ukraine (Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhia) has been finalized and preliminary results have been shared with partners. The HSM phase 2 report will be available shortly.

For further information, please contact [email protected] | [email protected] OCHA Ukraine Situation Reports are available at http://reliefweb.int/country/ukr To be added or deleted from this situation report mailing list, please e-mail [email protected]

UNHCR Ukraine external updates are available at http://www.unhcr.org.ua/externalupdate UNICEF Ukraine situation reports are available at http://www.unicef.org/ukraine/children_26254.html

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org