Heavy Fighting in Ukraine Leaves Thousands of Children Cold, Thirsty and Out of School – UNICEF

NEW YORK (February 1, 2017) – Following intense fighting over the last two days around the town of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, more than 17,000 people – including 2,500 children – are facing freezing weather without any heating, electricity or water.

Six schools and four kindergartens have also closed in the area due to the violence, putting education on hold and children under further stress, as they lose the much needed routine and stability of going to school.

The electricity and water infrastructure in Avdiivka was extensively damaged on January 29 and January 30. The resulting power outages disabled water pumping from a backup reservoir that serves the town and on which the heating system relies. In temperatures plummeting to minus 17 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit), the situation could have catastrophic consequences for the residents of Avdiivka.

“Not only are the lives of thousands of children in Avdiivka, and on all sides of the conflict, at risk, but to make matters worse, the lack of water and electricity means that homes are becoming dangerously cold and health conditions deteriorating as we speak,” said Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.

“UNICEF and partners call for safe access to carry out immediate repairs to the damaged water and electricity infrastructure to prevent further suffering,” she added.

The water supply to other towns and villages in the Donetsk region has also stopped after the power supply to the Donetsk Filtration Station was cut on 29 January. The filtration station provides water to approximately 400,000 people. Water is now rationed and there is a possibility that the piped household water supply will stop altogether.

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact:
Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org