Humanitarian Situation Still Dire Near Front Lines in Ukraine’s East – IRC

Humanitarian situation is still difficult for people living near the frontline in eastern Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross head of sub-delegation in Donetsk Dena Fisher told RIA Novosti Sunday.

DONETSK (Sputnik) — In mid-February Kiev and the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk signed a ceasefire agreement to bring an end to the armed conflict that erupted in Ukraine’s east in April 2014. But both sides have since accused each other of violating the deal.

"For those people who still live near the frontline, humanitarian situation remains hard. Even despite the decrease in hostilities, for people living in such zones the situation is still difficult."

She added that the Red Cross is working to deliver aid to the hard-to-reach areas affected by the armed conflict.

"We would like to have access to such places as Shirokino in order to help the civilian population that needs humanitarian aid."

Ukrainian servicemen guard their position in the village of Shirokino near Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015

© AP Photo / Evgeniy Maloletka

The village of Shirokino was one of the battlegrounds to suffer from fighting between the Kiev security forces and the Luhansk and Donetsk militia, earlier this year.

According to UN estimates, more than 6,200 people have been killed and over 1.2 million internally displaced in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.