Ukrainian families unable to flee are forced to ration as supermarkets show empty shelves and Kiev faces a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
“We are on the verge of a humanitarian disaster,” Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kiev, told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
People line up outside a grocery store in Vassylkiv. The cloud of smoke comes from an oil depot destroyed by the Russians the day before.
“We have electricity, water and heating. But the infrastructure to deliver food and medicine has been destroyed,” added the former world boxing champion.
“The situation is serious”, confirms to the Newspaper Oksana Malenko, met in Lévis during a support activity for the Ukrainian community. His sister, his mother and his two nieces are still in Vassylkiv, about thirty kilometers from the capital, and the food is running out.
Photo Jeremiah Bernier
Oksana Malenko, Ukrainian living in Lévis
Rationing
Like many, they had to start rationing themselves just five days after the start of the conflict.
The shelves in most grocery stores and pharmacies were emptied in the first hours of the Russian invasion.
“My sister baked little bread croutons as a meal, they’re trying to stretch [leurs denrées]. It’s the sad reality of my hometown…”, sighs Mme Malenko, showing images of his secondary school destroyed by shells.
As the city’s gas stations no longer work, they cannot flee the area either.
On foot, it’s too dangerous for the moment, explains the Ukrainian, who immigrated to Quebec in 2010.
Bunker
His relatives still decided to leave their apartment to take refuge with friends whose building is a little safer.
A makeshift bunker notably allows the children of the two families to take refuge when the sirens sound. But as he is very small, the rest of the group must take shelter as best they can in the house.
Courtesy picture
The children of both families and Mrs. Malenko’s mother can take refuge in a makeshift bunker during the bombardments. The rest of the group must take shelter in the house, for lack of space.
“It’s hard to live that from a distance. I hardly sleep anymore, I’m afraid of being woken up by bad news, ”says Mme Malenko with emotion.
International assistance
Almost everywhere, countries and associations are organizing to offer humanitarian aid to Ukrainians who need it.
The United States and Japan notably announced yesterday that they would respectively send an additional $54 million and $100 million to provide water, food and shelter.
The movement is also echoed in the region of Quebec where the pianist of Ukrainian origin Anna Spirina organizes since Sunday – and for each Sunday to come – “Stop war in Ukraine” brunches.
She receives friends, artists, Ukrainian immigrants and sympathizers to the cause and offers them musical performances while conversing on the situation.
All this in exchange for a voluntary contribution that will be given to a humanitarian organization in Ukraine.