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11/22/2024 02:12:39 am

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Ukraine Humanitarian Situation Worsens As Power And Water Supplies Run Low –U.N.

Ukraine Crisis

(Photo : Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov) Residents collect water at a pumping station in the eastern Ukranian city of Slaviansk June 17, 2014.

The humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine is getting worse as power and water supplies continue to decline, United Nations (U.N.) humanitarian operations director John Ging said during an emergency meeting held Tuesday.

The violence in eastern Ukraine will risk the lives of more people and lead to more fatalities if authorities do not come up with a political solution, Ging warned. He said the on-going fighting left 1,367 people dead, The Washington Post reported.

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The Russian-requested meeting comes after the conflict in eastern Ukraine reached Donetsk, a city where the rebel's main stronghold is located.

On Tuesday, pro-Moscow separatists and government forces launched rockets at each other in their latest clash since April.

Ukraine and Western nations accused Russia of fueling the violence with fighters and weapons but Moscow denied these allegations.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian deputy ambassador Oleksandr Pavlichenko said there was no humanitarian crisis in their country and that the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk is serious but manageable. He also said they are ready to cooperate with international organizations in resolving the problem.

Ging said the violence affected almost 4 million residents in the region, especially that the fighting inflicted significant damage on their water and power sources. In Donetsk and Luhansk, people have water only for a few hours in a day, health supplies are fast becoming scarce, and 70 percent of health workers fled the area.

More than 4,000 people sustained injuries in eastern Ukraine since the fighting began in April. Also, 58,000 people left the place since July and over one thousand continue to flee every day, Ging added.

U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia called the situation disastrous and accused the Ukrainian army of indiscriminately firing at houses. He said the shelling destroyed 80 percent of the houses and hundreds of establishments in eastern Ukraine.

Churkin conveyed Russia's desire to send a humanitarian delegation to Donetsk and Luhanks under the banner of the International Committee of the Red Cross.On Tuesday, U.N. released new figures showing over 285,000 people were forced to leave their homes to escape the violence.

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