UN to Ask for Over $41Mln in 2015 to Assist Displaced People in Ukraine

The UN underscores that the Ukrainian crisis has put local residents in a dire situation. The UN will launch a supplementary appeal for $41.5 to help alleviate the crisis.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday the UN would launch a supplementary appeal for $41.5 million in 2015 to respond to the humanitarian crisis in conflict-hit Ukraine.

The appeal is expected to be made on Monday to address urgent basic life needs of the country's displaced population.

"The lack of access to public services previously provided by the central authorities has drastically worsened the plight of the civilian population in areas not under government control. This has been further aggravated by restrictions to the movement of people and goods," UNHCR said in statement.

UNHCR teams report that buildings and infrastructure have been destroyed in the Donetsk Region over the past two weeks, and basic services have ceased.

"Local authorities have begun to evacuate people from conflict areas, but many are still trapped by the fighting, including in basements and buildings under constant bombardment," the statement said.

Back in January, UNHCR said that the situation was complicated further by new security clearance procedures requiring specific documentation to pass through Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

UNHCR noted Friday that, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy, the number of registered internally displaced people in the country stands at 980,000 and is expected to rise.