In the sixth year of the war in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, it is easy to forget that fighting continues.
But soldiers and civilians are dying and living conditions for many residents of the war-torn region remain far from normal. For these reasons, humanitarian support for Ukraine’s east should continue, says Florence Gillette, the new head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Ukraine.
“The need is still there, and it should be provided with respect to the agency and dignity of the people affected by the conflict,” Gillette said in an interview with the Kyiv Post.
Gillette took the helm of the ICRC delegation to Ukraine in April. She has worked with the international organization for over 13 years. She says her priorities on this mission are to continue putting the population living in Donbas at the center of ICRC response and improve their lives.
The war between the Ukrainian army and Russia-backed separatists in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts has killed some 13,000 people and affected up to 5.2 million, the United Nations estimates. Some 1.3 million people were displaced from their homes.
In late June, both sides pulled their troops back from the village of Stanytsia Luhanska near the contact line in Luhansk Oblast. The sides also agreed to a ceasefire from July 22.
The disengagement of forces and ceasefire are the first steps, said Gillette.
More steps must be taken to make the journey easier and safer through the only entry-exit checkpoint between Ukrainian government-controlled and occupied territories near Stanytsia Luhanska.
The pedestrian bridge across the Siversky Donets River badly needs repairs after being partly destroyed by shelling in 2015.
During his visit to Stanytsia Luhanska in July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the government will rebuild the bridge after the withdrawal of troops.
Earlier, ICRC proposed doing it.
Gillette says ICRC is ready to help but, in essence, it does not matter who does the work as long as the bridge is repaired as soon as possible.
The Ukrainian government has created a working group for the reconstruction of the bridge. It is supposed to present its plan to the Trilateral Contact Group, a diplomatic body with envoys from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Minsk on July 31.
According to ICRC, every day over 10,000 people cross the checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska. Some visit relatives or go shopping. Most are elderly people going to Ukrainian government-controlled territory to collect their pensions, which are often their only income. Frequently, they have to spend hours standing in line to pass through the checkpoint, something which can be deadly in summer or winter.
Read more: War-zone pensioners struggle to get their monthly payments
“We have seen people collapsing and fainting and dying while trying to cross the checkpoint,” said Gillette. “So anything that can ease the journey of people will be good news.”
Since the start of the year, 25 people have died at checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, “most probably from heart attacks due to stress and exertion,” the OSCE reported.
Since 2017, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society has set up first-aid posts on both sides of the contact line. There are also rest shelters where people can warm up in winter and cool down in summer.
In June, Ukrainian authorities launched a bus shuttle that goes from the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint to the pedestrian bridge. Previously, people had to walk some 800 meters on foot.
Among other urgent issues is stable access to clean water, especially in Donetsk Oblast, said Gillette.
Voda Donbasu, a water supply company that serves at least three million people, still faces regular electricity cuts and breakdowns.
The war has also left destroyed homes, landmines, and psychological traumas in its wake. The OSCE reported in April that 70 people, including 18 children, were killed or injured by mines in Donbas in one year.
The ICRC is working to rebuild houses, demine or mark the mined areas and provide mental health counseling.
“It is crucial that those living in the conflict zone have access to support…,” said Gillette. “Bringing their lives as close as possible back to normal is important. And it will require a lot of effort and means from the government and international organizations. The need is still there.”
Two years ago, ICRC began to help residents in the war-affected areas make their own income, be it by opening a business or breeding chickens.
“One woman in Avdiivka (a city in Donetsk Oblast) opened a gym. You might think it is weird to have a gym so close to the contact line. But it is actually very important,” said Gillette. “Not only does she employ a few people but creates a place where locals can gather and do some activities. She gives free sessions to children. Living in a city close to an area contaminated with mines, they can’t run around.”
