Ukraine: Deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Donetska oblast - Flash Update #1: Bakhmut (21 Mar 2023) [EN/RU/UK]

HIGHLIGHTS

• Heavy fighting and hostilities in and around the war-ravaged town of Bakhmut, in Donetska oblast, have further intensified over the past few days, taking a heavy toll on civilians who have already been under constant bombardment since the town became one of the hotspots of the war in midFebruary.

• Around 3,000 civilians who remain in Bakhmut – out of a pre-war population of 72,000 people – are in urgent need of assistance and protection.

• Due to the constant threat from ongoing hostilities, residents spend most of their time in basements, hiding from the fighting, with almost no access to essential services. Schools, hospitals and markets are non-functional, and the town is disconnected from water, electricity and gas supplies.

• Despite tremendous challenges, local authorities, volunteer groups, the United Nations and humanitarian partners are making every effort to support people who are facing life-threatening needs in Bakhmut and surrounding areas.

• Since the beginning of 2023, the UN and partners have sent seven inter-agency convoys with life-saving assistance, including food, water and medical supplies to about 70,000 people remaining in Bakhmut and surrounding areas.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Heavy fighting and hostilities in and around the war-ravaged town of Bakhmut, in Donetska oblast, have further intensified over the past few days, taking a heavy toll on civilians who have already been under constant bombardment since the town became one of the hotspots of the war in mid-February. The humanitarian situation in the area, which was dire before the ongoing escalation, has dramatically deteriorated, leaving the remaining 3,000 civilians in Bakhmut – out of a pre-war population of 72,000 people – in urgent need of assistance and protection, according to local authorities and aid groups. Although the Government of Donetska oblast continues to call for evacuations from Bakhmut, only very few people are still fleeing the area daily, compared to as many as 600 when evacuations were at their highest in the last quarter of 2022, according to Ukrainian authorities. At the same time, humanitarian operations became extremely challenging and limited, as hostilities and restrictions of movements impacted access for aid organizations and volunteer groups.

Due to the constant threat from on-going hostilities, residents spend most of their time in basements, hiding from the fighting, with almost no access to essential services, and limited supplies of food or hygiene items, according to humanitarian organizations and UN agencies. Schools, hospital and markets are non-functional and the entire population, which includes around 30 children, are dependent on aid to survive. Nearly 80 per cent of houses in Bakhmut have reportedly been destroyed or severely damaged due to the active hostilities, according to the oblast authorities. Although the United Nations has not been able to verify the information, there have been several reports from the Ukrainian authorities that most schools, kindergartens, clinics and hospitals in the city have been either destroyed or damaged. Bakhmut has no centralized water, gas, heating or electricity supplies. Only four medical workers remain in the town, according to the town administration.