GENEVA – The Humanitarian Office of the U.N. (OCHA) Help moves east of Ukraine and plans to send aid to rebel-held Luhansk and Donetsk regions next week if fighting shifts, a spokesman told a news conference on Friday.
“In our planning, we have aid caravans to go there, I think, as early as next week. Whether that happens or not depends on the security situation,” said Jens Laerke, who described it the regions that Russia has recognized as independent states as “areas of utmost humanitarian importance”.
UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths visited Ukraine this week Russiawhere he met with both parties and discussed the arrangements for a possible humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict that has been going on for six weeks.
“Right now we have no commitment to a ceasefire from either side”added Laerke, who said it was a “gradual process” and Griffiths would continue to work to find a localized ceasefire agreement.
During his visit, he informed the Ukrainian government of this International personnel from the United Nations will return to Kyiv in the coming days after Russian troops withdraw from the surrounding areas. Other humanitarian centers are also being set up in the east, for example in Dnipro.
“The idea is to be as close as possible to those most in need,” Laerke said.
Thursday visited Bucha, where he saw a mass grave containing 280 bodies and reiterated UN calls for an immediate and independent investigationadded Lark.
At the same briefing, a World Health Organization spokesman said nearly 1,500 health workers had been trained to respond to a possible “chemical incident” in Ukraine.
“The agency also offers treatments in case of exposure to chemicals and protective equipment,” he added.
The UN agency said Thursday it was preparing for possible “chemical attacks,” a sign it was heeding warnings coming from both the West and Moscow.
(Edited in Spanish by Carlos Serrano)
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