Filippo Grandi was “appalled” by the extent of the destruction.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, just finished a 6-day trip to Ukraine and said he was “appalled” by the scale of the destruction.

After touring the south and east of the country and witnessing the devastation and devastation of the war, the UNHCR chief called on donors to maintain their support for the country’s people who are suffering the most, the office said in a press release.

Grandi was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who met with seven regional authorities, several mayors and many affected civilians in Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv.

“I am appalled by the amount of destruction I have seen as a result of Russian missiles and bombings” He mentioned that “Civilian infrastructure such as power stations, water networks, kindergartens and apartment buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Civilians, including children and the elderly, have been killed or left their homes, their entire lives turned upside down by these senseless attacks.

Strengthening UNHCR operations

Through a network of Ukrainian partners – particularly local NGOs and community-based organizations – and under the leadership and guidance of the Ukrainian government, UNHCR has significantly increased its operations in the country since last February.

They include expanding operations to inaccessible and newly accessible areas to the east and south, providing cash and material aid to war-affected civilians, distributing emergency repairs to people whose homes have been damaged, and repairing. settlements, as well as providing legal aid and psychological support to people affected by war trauma. More than 4.3 million Ukrainians have been supported by UNHCR through these activities and other services and assistance since the invasion began on 24 February 2022.

UNHCR helped the government set up a network of ‘impregnable points’ – public shelters equipped with generators, heaters and Wi-Fi so people can protect themselves from the climate’s freezing temperatures. Winter, recharge their batteries, light and a link to work and study.

Filippo Grandi also saw Ukrainian officials and citizens repairing and rebuilding damaged facilities.

“If the buildings are destroyed, the spirit of the Ukrainian people will remain”He added that “So impressed by their courage and resilience.”

“It is the responsibility of all of us – the international community – to support them as they embark on the road to recovery. I call on states, international financial institutions and other actors to join these efforts – and quickly. He further emphasized.

Filippo Grandi recalled that humanitarian needs were particularly acute in areas close to the front lines. Humanitarian funding must therefore be maintained and expanded. According to UNHCR, this is an important element in stabilizing the population and helping war-affected people to contribute to the recovery of their country and their economy.