Ukraine: Bombing Kiev & other Humanitarian issues - Press Conference | United Nations

Press conference by Denise Brown, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, on the current situation in the country.

Briefing from a bomb shelter in Kiev, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, today (15 Nov) told reporters in New York that for the “first time” the humanitarian community has been able to access Kherson City “since the war started.”

On the humanitarian visit to Kherson City, she said, “we drove into the city along the road that was being actively demined, and in fact, for most of the day, we were listening to detonations as the demining was taking place right in the centre of town. So, it was quite also a noisy day, and very, very visible signs of the destruction along the road, and as we were going into the city.”

From the shelter in Kiev, Brown said, “the air sirens went off a couple hours ago, around 2:30. And there were quite a few explosions a couple of kilometres from us and reports of damage, which I haven't seen but can attest to the to the explosions that took place and we're waiting for the reports, official reports from the authorities.”

The humanitarian official said despite the “resilience” of Kherson City’s residents, “there are really big issues to be managed with the governor and the mayor of Kherson.”

She said, “there is no electricity in the city. Nothing at all. And because there's no electricity in the city, there is no water anywhere in the city. There was no phone connection when we were there. No internet connection.”

Asked about preparations for the upcoming winter months, Brown said, “we've been working on the winterization with the government since I arrived in August. It felt a little strange to be thinking about cold winter months when it was hot outside. So, I think in many places, with the local authorities we were well advanced in the winterization, which is repairs, which is clothing, which is blankets, which is generators. What I really worry about is in the smaller rural communities, elderly people on their own, who lack mobility and perhaps are not well connected.”

Aid workers brought food, water, hygiene kits, shelter materials and critical household items, such as bedding, thermal blankets and solar lamps, to more than 6,000 people in Kherson City, which returned to Ukrainian control last Friday after Russian troops withdrew.

Russian forces had occupied Kherson since March, capturing the city in the first weeks of the war.