Highlights
August was marked by intense armed hostilities in eastern Ukraine, especially in Donetsk Oblast. As a result, more civilians were killed or injured than in any month since August 2015, according to data from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). A total of 91 casualties were recorded, including 16 killed and 75 injured. More people, including children, crossed the contact line than in any month since the beginning of 2016. UNICEF distributed more than 30,000 education kits to the most vulnerable children from areas of Donetsk Oblast close to the contact line, in preparation for the new school year in September.
The Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine and UNICEF Ukraine’s Country Representative visited some of the 45 schools and kindergartens rehabilitated with funds from the Japanese government.
UNICEF maintained water supplies to 1.4 million people by providing liquefied chlorine gas for water treatment and a reached a further 7,000 through the repair of supply networks. Six villages in the government-controlled area of Donetsk Oblast and two checkpoints also received safe water supplies.
Due to the deteriorating security situation, the UNICEF-supported hotline, run by the NGO La Strada, has seen an increase in the number of children and caregivers requesting psychosocial assistance.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Frequent shelling near populated areas in August resulted in the highest monthly figures of civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine for a year. OHCHR reported 91 civilian casualties in August, the majority due to shelling. The ongoing violence continued to impact civilian infrastructure, water and electricity, causing frequent interruptions in supply. Regular exchanges of fire around checkpoints led to frequent suspension of operations and increased danger to civilians wishing to cross. Nevertheless, the number of people crossing through checkpoints continued to increase, prompting UNICEF and its partners to continue scaling up the assistance, including provision of water and sanitary facilities.