The war in Ukraine from a humanitarian perspective

The Swiss Red Cross is providing humanitarian aid in Ukraine to help people with the most urgent needs and to mediate. A Colin&Cie interview with Beatrice Weber, Head of International Disaster Relief, about the mission and the challenges on the ground.

Colin&Cie is analysing the situation of the war in Ukraine and its impact on the global economy and financial markets on an ongoing basis. These assessments are based on facts and figures and, given the harrowing reports that reach us daily from the war zone, may at times suggest a somewhat sober view of events that is lacking empathy.

Our task as financial experts is to derive trends and future developments for our actions from our assessments. The economic consequences of the war are now being felt more than clearly by private individuals and companies worldwide in rising energy prices, higher living costs and a more uncertain supply situation.

Of course, we are also moved by the humanitarian perspective on this war and we spoke to the Swiss Red Cross about their mission on the ground and the challenges involved.

Beatrice Weber, Head of International Disaster Relief at Swiss Red Cross (SRC)

Question Colin&Cie: What are the challenges on the ground in Ukraine after the Russian attacks?

Reply B. Weber:
The conflict in Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian crisis with no end in sight. Millions of people are suffering hardship, both in the conflict zones and while fleeing – be it in Ukraine, neighbouring states or many other countries such as Switzerland.

The more than 7 million internally displaced people inside Ukraine pose an immense challenge. They need to be provided with basic necessities such as water, food, warm clothing and first aid. They also need temporary shelter. Many of them have experienced trauma and their families have been torn apart.

The Ukrainian Red Cross cares for these internally displaced people. It has over 550 staff and 6,000 volunteers working around the clock. 3,000 of these volunteers have joined the Red Cross since the end of February. They are motivated to help, but they also need to be inducted and familiarised with the Red Cross Principles.

The Red Cross Principles are of great importance in an extremely difficult situation like this. The principles of 'impartiality' and 'neutrality' allow the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to act within conflicts and support the most vulnerable.

Well-functioning logistics are needed to be able to provide for the internally displaced people. The Red Cross carries out needs assessments: what is needed most urgently and where. It ensures that the necessary relief supplies can be procured and delivered on site.

Question Colin&Cie: Where and in what form is the SRC involved in and for Ukraine?

Reply B. Weber:
Previous SRC commitment:
The SRC has been active in Ukraine since 2017. It strengthened its sister organisation, the Ukrainian Red Cross, in the area of capacity building in fundraising. Together, a donation platform was set up, via which substantial contributions could be generated. The SRC is also involved in setting up care for the elderly, similar to Spitex in Switzerland.

Current SRC deployment:
In early March, the Ukrainian Red Cross asked us to support their branches in the west of the country in the districts of Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk. We decided to send a team of five specialists in health, logistics and cash assistance. Based on initial needs assessments, we are supporting emergency shelter and health assistance for people fleeing within the country in Ivano-Frankivsk. We are procuring 16,000 beds and blankets for them.

The SRC also supplies medical material so that the hospitals in the two regions can stock up their supplies. In the west of the country, many internally displaced persons need to be cared for and materials are in short supply. In Ivano-Frankivsk, together with the Ukrainian Red Cross, we planned a package of relief measures for nearly 90,000 people who had fled and 111,000 people from the local population. Wherever possible, people receive cash assistance or vouchers so they can buy what they need most. Relief supplies are distributed where necessary.

The second team has been in action since beginning of April. One of our staff members will coordinate the emergency aid of 44 national Red Cross societies on the ground for the next two months.

SRC supports the Red Cross movement:
Together with the Federation of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the SRC is pursuing a multilateral approach in all of Ukraine's neighbouring countries. The SRC has made four of its experienced logistics experts available for the IFRC's coordinated emergency response. They are deployed in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia: they are responsible for transporting, collecting and storing relief goods delivered by Red Cross Movement partners and preparing the goods for distribution. The SRC also provides financial support to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's coordinated emergency response.

SRC supports refugees in its programme country Moldova:
In Moldova, the SRC supports aid for people from Ukraine via the Moldovan Red Cross and the long-standing partner organisation Casmed. They have quickly expanded the soup kitchens that are run as part of winter aid to also provide hot meals to refugees from Ukraine. Blood donation activities have also already been expanded to respond to the increased demand for blood products due to immigration.

Question Colin&Cie: Ukraine is known for its high grain production. The wheat harvest this year will probably be a fraction of normal annual production. What does this mean for other countries?

Reply B. Weber:
Countries in Africa and the Middle East in particular are dependent on grain supplies from Ukraine. They have to buy grain at inflated prices on the world market. This endangers the food security and health of the people in these countries. The impact is particularly drastic for the poorest. It must be assumed that poverty will increase even further. Many advances of recent decades will be undone. We expect to be greatly challenged in humanitarian terms.

Question Colin&Cie: What other dependencies are there, and which countries are likely to be affected?

Reply B. Weber:
The conflict in Ukraine is very likely to lead to further crises in other regions (Middle East, North Africa, Horn of Africa, etc.). Rising commodity prices increase the cost of living for large sections of the population. More expensive food can lead to unrest and also famine.

Question Colin&Cie: What lies ahead for you?

Reply B. Weber:
As an aid agency, we assume that our work in Ukraine will continue for several years. We will also be greatly challenged in other regions of the world, as existing crises will be exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.

Question Colin&Cie: What can individuals do?

Reply B. Weber:
We can get involved with the refugees through neighbourly help or by relieving the burden on host families. We can remain warm and open to them. We can critically counter misinformation that has been circulating, especially on social media. Many people here have shown great solidarity. They collected clothes and food to give to us. However, monetary donations are most efficient and effective for us because they are used for what the affected people in Ukraine need most urgently at the moment.