SITUATION OVERVIEW
The level of violence in the conflict area in eastern Ukraine remained high throughout July. Numerous ceasefire violations caused civilian casualties and damages to critical civilian infrastructure. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 73 conflict-related civilian casualties (8 fatalities and 65 injuries) in July, even more than in June when 69 casualties (12 killed and 57 injured) were recorded, the highest number of casualties in a single month since August 2015. The average monthly civilian casualties recorded in June and July were twice as high as in September 2015 to May 2016, when 34 casualties on average were recorded.
Shelling has become the major cause of civilian casualties in recent weeks, as it occurs more frequently during the day and in populated areas.
Landmines and explosive remnants of war, responsible for the majority of civilian casualties during periods of relative calm, are now the second most important cause of casualties. Since the beginning of the conflict, 22,137 people have been wounded and 9,553 killed, some 2,000 of the fatalities were civilians. Urban areas such as the suburbs of Donetsk city, the towns of Yasynuvata and Dokuchaievsk (NGCA), Marinka and Avdiivka (GCA) have become the scene of frequent and heavy shelling. However, fighting also occurred in numerous places along the contact line, including in the vicinity of checkpoints. Luhanska oblast witnessed a significant increase in combat activity, particularly in the Popasnianskyi raion.
The ongoing violence continues to impact civilian infrastructure. Water and power supply are frequently interrupted in the hot spot areas and supply companies face serious difficulties to repair the facilities in light of the fragile security situation and growing economic difficulties. For example, both the Sieverskyi Donets-Donbas (SDD) channel and Filter Station 2 near Horlivka were forced to significantly reduce water supplies due to conflict damage sustained by associated electricity infrastructure. Access to assess and repair damage to water and electricity infrastructure is limited due to ongoing hostilities. The security situation at the checkpoints deteriorated during the summer months while hot temperatures added to the hardship of the up to 30,000 people who crossed the ‘contact line” on average every day. Partners stepped up response efforts at the five operating checkpoints, providing water, sanitary facilities, shed and health care, yet need remains high.
According to the latest food security assessment conducted in May, 1.1 million people, or 19 per cent of the population in the conflict area, are estimated to be affected by food insecurity. Numbers are higher in Luhansk NGCA (34 per cent) rather than Donetsk NGCA (18 per cent both). As most of households rely on markets for their food purchases and 55.5 per cent of households depend on pensions and social payments as main source of income, suspension of social benefits critically impact on food security (19 per cent of food insecurity cases).
As of 9 August, the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is only 24 per cent funded. Health Cluster received almost no funding in 2016 (only 3.4 per cent), leaving many people, particularly in the so-called ‘grey zone’, without access to healthcare.
KEY FIGURES
HRP 2016: People in Need
People in Need - 3.1 million
People Targeted - 2.5 million
Humanitarian Response: January to June 2016
149,000 people received immediate food assistance
286,000 people provided with hygiene kits
73,000 people supplied with non-food items
17,600 people reached Provision of education and ECD kits