A humanitarian mission launched within 24 hours of the conflict breaking out in Ukraine is delivering thousands of boxes of essential items and collecting refugees at the Ukraine/Poland border to bring them to safety in the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland.
Freedom Boxes was created by Stuart Watkins, who also owns a software company which has offices in Prague and Cambridge. When the conflict began, Stuart, his family, and his team set about to do something to deliver help and provide hope to those affected by the invasion. With Freedom Boxes, the team has created an immediate way to directly help those in need.
The team is made up of people from the UK and across the Central and Eastern European region, including Russia and Ukraine, who have pulled together to prepare, pack, and deliver Freedom Boxes.
The Freedom Boxes are delivered across the border directly to those in need – in bunkers and war zones – with the team’s drivers risking their lives on every trip.
Two of the four people working on the project in Ukraine are Stuart’s team members and they are helping deal with the coordination of getting people to the border and out of the areas under siege.
Stuart Watkins, founder of Freedom Boxes, said: “During war, it is always the vulnerable who suffer the most. We are dropping off truckloads of Freedom Boxes for distribution to those who need them and bringing Ukrainian refugees to safety.
“As a private company located in Prague and with colleagues in Ukraine, we had the ability to mobilise our assets, people, and connections very quickly to get up and running and begin helping. Larger organisations are less agile and take longer to mobilise, whereas Freedom Boxes provides a way for people to have a much more immediate and direct impact.
“In just two weeks since the war began, we have already delivered over 450 Freedom Boxes and transported over 70 refugees to safety. We will continue to do whatever we can to get essential items into Ukraine while getting as many people as we can out and away from danger.”
“As the humanitarian crisis worsens, bordering countries are filling up with refugees. They are having to travel further afar which can add days onto their journeys. The Freedom Buses are helping solve this problem.”
With their tech background, Stuart and his team have been able to quickly build solutions to utilise their assets for the greater good, with QR codes to help understand what people need and tracking devices to verify receipt of items.
Visit www.freedom-boxes.com to purchase a Freedom Bus ticket for someone fleeing Ukraine or choose from a range of Freedom Boxes tailormade for families, children, and the heroes who have taken up arms to defend their country.
Children who want to let families and children who are victims of war in Ukraine know they are thinking about them are uploading messages of hope at www.messagesofhope.uk – the messages will be delivered directly to Ukrainian families via Freedom Boxes.
Children everywhere are encouraged to upload their messages of hope.
Scotland’s offer to provide refuge and sanctuary to displaced Ukrainians, as part of the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, is now open.
Accessible through the UK Government’s online portal, a distinct route to accommodation, support and care in Scotland – the Warm Scots Welcome – is now available to people displaced by the invasion of Ukraine.
Acting as a ‘super sponsor’, the Scottish Government’s route removes the need for applicants to be matched to a named individual before they are cleared to travel to the UK through the visa system.
The Scottish programme is available as an option to Ukrainians when applying for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, by opting for the organisational sponsor route, and selecting “The Scottish Government” from the drop-down box in response to the question “Which organisation is sponsoring you?”
Scottish people willing to volunteer and provide homes for Ukrainians arriving through the sponsorship scheme are encouraged to sign up at the Homes for Ukraine portal.
Their details will be shared with Scottish Government so that appropriate matches can be arranged while immediate support is provided to those arriving.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Our distinct offer for a warm Scottish welcome to the displaced people of Ukraine is now open, as part of the UK’s Homes for Ukraine.
“We intend to fully harness the thousands of individual offers from people in Scotland willing to provide Ukrainians with a home. And I encourage those who want to help to express an interest on the Homes for Ukraine portal.
“We still believe visas should have been waived for those fleeing the appalling and illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, but we established this Scottish scheme, embedded within the UK system, to provide help right now to those who need it.
“Our programme will allow significant numbers of people fleeing Ukraine to come to Scotland immediately, and will be able to come to Scotland for safety and sanctuary first.
“To those Ukrainians arriving in our country, I can say we will treat you with compassion, dignity and respect, and I extend a warm welcome to Scotland, our home – and, for as long as you need it, yours too.”
It is also possible for Ukrainian displaced people to come to Scotland by the other two routes: the family visa route and the individual sponsor route.
The Scottish Government is working with partners – local councils, the Scottish Refugee Council, the NHS, Disclosure Scotland, NGOs, faith groups and others – to complete safeguarding checks, put in place wider health, education, practical and befriending support, and arrange longer term accommodation.
The process for Ukrainian applicants to apply is this:
Organisations that will provide advice, support and information services for Ukrainian people and their families are to receive Scottish Government funding as part of Scotland’s response to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has visited the headquarters of the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) to learn about the vital work they are doing to help individuals arriving from Ukraine, and to announce more than £1 million of funding to allow them to recruit additional staff ahead of an increase in requests for support.
Ukraine Advice Scotland, run by Scottish charity JustRight Scotland, will also receive funding from the Scottish Government to provide financial stability for the project, which provides free and confidential legal advice to those displaced by the war in Ukraine.
This funding will ensure the organisation can increase their support for legal work, as well as interpretation for advice calls, and translation of online information.
Following the visit to the SRC, where the First Minister met Ukrainian nationals and saw an advice phone line in action, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Nearly three million people have now fled the war in Ukraine, the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
“Scotland is ready to play its part to offer safety and sanctuary to those forced to leave their homes because of Russia’s brutal invasion, and it is heartening to see preparations for increased support, advice and information already being put in place.
“We are determined to do everything in our power to give them the warmest welcome possible when people so start to arrive and we will need organisations like SRC and JustRight Scotland, as well as the support of the people of Scotland, to do just that.”
Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council, said: “People fleeing the war in Ukraine will need advice and support to help them find their feet and settle into life in Scotland.
“We’ll provide practical, one-to-one support to new arrivals and their families, helping with everything from registering with a GP, to sourcing school uniforms and applying for jobs.
“No matter which part of the world people are from or which conflict they are fleeing, our advisors work with people in an empowering, trauma-informed way to build the foundations of a safe life here in Scotland.”
Kirsty Thomson, Managing Director of JustRight Scotland, said: “In this extraordinary time, we welcome the commitment from the Scottish Government to fund Ukraine Advice Scotland which will support Ukrainian people who are seeking safety in Scotland.
“This vital, free and confidential service will provide high-quality initial legal assistance to address needs and protect fundamental rights as well as linking into other legal and support networks that have been established by our partners.”
The latest on the city council’s response and how you can help
Russia’s horrific and unprovoked attack on Ukraine hits very close to home. Not just because of the proximity of this war, but because of the family and civic connections between our nations and, in particular, between Edinburgh and our twin city Kyiv.
There has been a characteristically caring and generous response from the people of Edinburgh since the invasion began, with countless individuals and organisations coming forward with offers of support and donations.
How can I help?
From speaking to the Ukrainian community and the volunteers supporting them here in Edinburgh, they have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of donated goods.
We are working extremely closely with EVOC and Volunteer Edinburgh to help coordinate our response to the crisis. If you want to find out more about volunteering opportunities and how to register, please visit the Volunteer Edinburgh website.
Can I take refugees into my home?
The UK Government has just launched its Homes for Ukraine scheme, which will allow households to sponsor and take in refugees who are fleeing the war.
The first phase, which began taking registrations of interest yesterday, is aimed at individuals who are able to make offers to a specific person/people.
Those arriving will have met standard security checks, and all sponsors and all adults in the sponsoring households will be required to do the same.
A monthly payment of £350 will be offered in exchange for accommodation (spare room/self-contained accommodation) for a minimum six months. This doesn’t include meals or living expenses.
Initial details of the scheme, FAQs and how to apply are available from the UK Government website.
What is the Council doing?
As a Council, and as a City, we have shared our condemnation for Russia’s actions and are holding out the hand of friendship to the people of Ukraine, committing to doing whatever we can to help.
We are in regular touch with the Mayor’s office, as we are with the Mayor of another of Edinburgh’s twin cities, Kraków, which has already welcomed well over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
They have provided us with a list of the goods they desperately need, and we are working closely with our partners to arrange shipments for those who have made it to Krakow and those who remain in Kyiv.
Our plans for incoming refugees are developing quickly and we’re in daily meetings with the Home Office, Scottish Government, Edinburgh Airport, third sector and other agencies to ensure we provide the warmest possible welcome from the moment they land. They have had their lives torn apart and will be traumatised and afraid. Some will be extremely young and/or vulnerable and will need urgent care.
This involves coordinating support and ensuring we make the best use of the limited resources we have available – whether that be arranging short and longer-term accommodation, transport, interpreters, access to GPs and healthcare support, counselling, education or any of the other basic services that we all rely on. We have set up a dedicated helpline for Ukrainian arrivals, which will be manned 24 hours a day by our Customer Team.
While this is ongoing, and assuming agreement by councillors on Thursday, we will write to the Home Office encouraging unrestricted refugee visas and local working to source host families to house refugees, with a focus on those most able to support unaccompanied children.
We also plan to write to the MOD to request access to unused temporary accommodation for those travelling to Edinburgh from Ukraine, and to provide £100,000 in Council funding to help coordinate local humanitarian aid.
New report examines ways of strengthening support mechanisms
Researchers have called for Ukraine’s organisations of persons with disabilities (OPD) to have a bigger role in the country’s decision-making processes.
The Edinburgh Napier-led team were finalising their report on the impact of Covid-19 on the country’s almost three million persons with disabilities just as Russia launched its first attacks on its eastern European neighbour.
Their investigation, carried out with partners in Ukraine, documents how the pandemic created many new barriers while also amplifying existing ones.
Covid-19 limited persons with disabilities’ access to healthcare, social services and transport, increased their social isolation and undermined their economic security.
Digital poverty meant many could not access online portals for government departments or online learning, and the study also highlighted concerns about decreasing levels of cooperation from public bodies.
Now war with Russia – in which 15 per cent of the civilian population caught up in the conflict will have a disability – is presenting new and even more complex challenges.
Initial reports suggest persons with disabilities are struggling to access safe zones, medical services or reliable information on top of the other challenges faced by a population under attack.
Principal Investigator Dr Kiril Sharapov, from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “Organisations of Persons with Disabilities remain one of the last remaining systems of support for the people they have been taking care of within the context of the pandemic and now within the context of this catastrophic war.
“They continue, where and when they can, to provide support to the most vulnerable individuals and their families. Their knowledge and expertise must inform all current and future relief efforts provided by the Government of Ukraine and by the international donors and humanitarian agencies.”
The research report calls for organisations of persons with disabilities to have their unique roles recognised at legislative level within Ukraine, and for the Government to support their activities.
It also recommends that public bodies consult with and give OPDs a say in decision making, and that OPDs should be actively involved in monitoring the quality of social services delivery.
There are almost three million people registered as having a disability in Ukraine, with actual numbers likely to be higher due to the lack of reliable statistics.
Dr Sharapov researched the impact of the pandemic on them in partnership with the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine umbrella group and local organisations. The study was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund and the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council.
A total of 108 organisations responded to a survey co-designed by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine, making it the largest to explore the views of the disability movement on the effects of the pandemic. The findings were presented to disability experts and activists who were asked to comment and make recommendations.
The research report says it is “essential” that public authorities in Ukraine at all levels recognise and support OPDs as key actors in ensuring and protecting the rights of people they are caring for.
It also recommends that an up-to-date register of all OPDs is kept, and that the Government cooperate with them in developing a rapid response protocol for circulating information during any future public health emergencies.
Football match to raise money for Lumos Ukraine appeal
Football fans will be doing their bit for charity when they attend the Edinburgh City FC vs. Stranraer FC match this Friday 18th March, as all ticket proceeds will be donated to Lumos’ emergency Ukraine appeal.
Lumos is an international children’s charity founded by Edinburgh-based author J.K. Rowling that has been working in Ukraine for nearly a decade supporting national and regional authorities with care reform and developing community support services so that children can grow up in families rather than in orphanages.
In response to the current crisis, Lumos has launched an emergency appeal to help the children and families of Ukraine, raising vital funds to provide food, hygiene and medicine kits, help with the relocation of the most vulnerable children, support families, foster carers and emergency foster carers, and to provide psychological support in the coming weeks and months.
All tickets will be £5, and season ticket holders will be offered the opportunity to make a donation on the night.
Peter McDermott, Lumos CEO, said: “For many, football offers the opportunity to come together with family. This partnership between Edinburgh City FC and Lumos offers the public a way to help the children and families of Ukraine, who are now in grave danger. War tears apart families and exposes already vulnerable children to all manners of harm.
“We are grateful for Edinburgh City FC for this gesture of generosity that will help Lumos keep more families together and provide vital help to those impacted by this war.”
Jim Brown, Edinburgh City FC Chairman, said: “Edinburgh City FC have a proud history of supporting our local community so we are delighted to announce a partnership with Lumos who are supporting communities right now in Ukraine.
“Like so many we are deeply touched at the work Lumos is currently doing with children and vulnerable families throughout Ukraine including Edinburgh’s twin city of Kyiv, therefore we are donating 100% of the gate money from this coming Friday evening’s game so they can continue to get vital supplies to those who need it most.
“All tickets for our game are priced at £5 so we urge all football fans and the wider public to come along to Ainslie Park on Friday. This is more than just football: this is Edinburgh standing with Ukraine.”
The Immigration Advice Service (IAS) has announced a new scheme that will offer free legal advice to Ukrainian nationals and residents who are both in the UK or attempting to migrate to the UK following the Russian invasion.
The free advice scheme has been launched due to IAS’s growing concern over incorrect and misleading advice provided to Ukrainians by the Home Office helpline.
For over a decade, IAS has helped thousands of clients with their immigration issues and strongly believes that everyone should be entitled to reliable, professional immigration, and asylum advice. The new scheme will allow Ukrainian nationals and their family members to make sense of and navigate the constantly changing concessions offered by the Home Office.
Natalie Pashley, Immigration Casework Supervisor at IAS, said: “A group of lawyers at IAS have volunteered their time to provide this assistance following alarming conversations with a number of clients who had received incorrect, misleading, and often dangerous advice from the helpline set up by the Home Office.
“Our experience of dealing with the Home Office helpline has been no better, in one phone call I had towards the end of last week, they were not even aware that family members of British Citizens could make a free application, and were still advising people to go to the Kyiv Application Centre, which has been closed for some time now.”
The IAS is aware of several examples in which Ukrainian nationals and residents have received incorrect or dangerous advice from the Home Office following Russia’s invasion of the country.
Recently, the Home Office Ukraine helpline advised a British Citizen, currently in the UK, to travel to Kyiv in order to apply for a visa for his wife. This information was not only incorrect but put this person in an incredibly dangerous situation.
They spent several days at the Polish border waiting to leave Ukraine and have so far waited over a week for a decision on what is supposed to be an urgent application. The free advice scheme that IAS is offering will help to avoid cases like those outlined above.
The seriousness of the current situation in Ukraine means that now, more than ever, accurate and helpful immigration advice is needed to ensure the safety of Ukrainian nationals and residents and IAS’s experienced immigration lawyers are helping to provide this.
Edinburgh councillors will consider granting the most prestigious honour it can bestow to the Ukrainian President and the Mayor of Edinburgh’s twin city, Kyiv.
In recognition of heroically standing by their country and their citizens to lead the fight against the invasion of Ukraine, Council Leaders are seeking support to confer the Freedom of the City jointly to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mayor Vitali Klitschko, in a Motion (Item 8.1).
The Freedom of the City is a tradition that dates back over 560 years to 1459, with Her Majesty the Queen and Sir Chris Hoy the only living individuals with the Scottish Capital’s freemanship. It can only be ‘bestowed upon those who are held in the highest esteem’.
The symbolic gesture will be considered at a meeting of the Council on Thursday (17 March), alongside a further Motion (Item 8.2), which condemns Russia’s ‘horrific and illegal attacks on the Independence of Ukraine, their people, and their homes’ and outlines further practical steps Edinburgh may take to support humanitarian efforts and those displaced by the crisis.
If the Motion is agreed, up to £100,000 of Council funding would be targeted towards coordinating local efforts with the Edinburgh Partnership. This would help Edinburgh maximise supplies to Ukraine, support local infrastructure for facilitating donations as well as the transport of supplies to Poland and elsewhere.
Other steps would see letters sent to the Home Office, UK Foreign Office and MOD to seek clarity and support for victims of the war arriving in Edinburgh – particularly children – and ask for help with temporary accommodation.
In an additional display of solidarity with Ukraine, a ban on Russian cultural events and performances in Council-owned venues could be set (further to the cancellation of a Russian concert at the Usher Hall) and the Council would end its relationship with the Russian Consulate.
Council Leader Adam McVey said:“We all stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people in fighting this oppressive Russian regime and we will do everything we possibly can to support them.
“Following the city summit I hosted with the Depute Leader last week, with the Acting Consul General for Ukraine and local community leaders, we are now setting out a series of steps we can take together as a city.
“As part of this, we’re bringing forward Motions to ask Councillors to stand with us in condemning Putin’s tyranny, and intend to offer the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh to the President of Ukraine and Mayor of Kyiv.
“By remaining in Kyiv, they are fighting side-by-side with their citizens against the Russian invasion, in a true defence of their nation. This is not just in recognition of their own leadership and bravery, but the bravery of all Ukrainians battling for their nation.
“With members’ agreement, we will write to the Home Office encouraging unrestricted refugee visas and local working to source host families to house refugees, with a focus on those with cultural and language understanding to best support unaccompanied children.
“The experiences of those fleeing their homes and their country is heart-breaking and we are looking at how we can help those who seek refuge, but we also need the Home Office to outline a plan.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said:“Edinburgh has a strong Scottish-Ukrainian population and many of us have heard stories from local friends and family members about the atrocities people in Kyiv and across Ukraine are facing.
“We pride ourselves on the warm welcome we offer to those in desperate need of our help and I hope we can drive forward support for refugees.
“The outpouring of grief and support from Edinburgh people has been incredible and we won’t stop flying the Ukrainian flag until the war is brought to an end. The Granton gasholder being lit up is yet another symbol of our solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
“We want to show our admiration for the outstanding leadership of the President and of the Mayor of our twin city, Kyiv. They are standing by their constituents and their country and heroically leading Ukraine’s response to invasion.
“Parties of all colours have already told us they agree – the Freedom of the City is the highest civic honour we can offer Mr Zelensky and Mr Klitschko – and if confirmed with a formal vote next week we will be able to take this forward.”
Both Motions will be raised by the Council Leaders on Thursday, following a City Summit held last week with the Acting Consul General of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Church in Edinburgh, Police, ETAG and the University of Edinburgh to drive forward Edinburgh’s efforts.
The Council has already supported the Gas holder in Granton to be lit up blue and yellow and is flying the Ukrainian flag from the City Chambers. The Lord Provost has also written to the Mayor of Kyiv outlining Edinburgh’s deepest sorrow for events, and the Council is reviewing all investments and contracts for Russian ties.
The Government still recommends that organisations and people who would like to help donate cash through trusted charities and aid organisations, rather than donating goods. Cash can be transferred quickly to areas where it’s needed and individuals and aid organisations can use it to buy what’s most needed.
However, businesses, charities and community organisations sending aid from GB ports will be able to make a customs declaration by speaking to customs officers or simply by the act of driving through a port.
They will no longer need to complete and submit electronic customs declarations to HMRC before exporting these goods, and smaller movements will not need to use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service to pass through ports where it is in operation.
The easement will also remove other customs formalities, such as needing to notify HMRC when the goods have been exported.
The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer QC MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “People and businesses across the UK have already responded with immense generosity, donating millions of pounds to support those forced to flee their homes as a result of the war in Ukraine.
“Government advice remains that the best way to help the Ukrainian people is to donate money through the Disasters Emergency Committee or other trusted charities.
“However, we appreciate that people and businesses may still wish to donate aid directly to the region, so this new customs easement will ensure that humanitarian aid is fast -tracked from GB to help those most affected.”
The easement, which excludes all controlled goods and dual use goods, will be in place for a limited time, which will be announced in due course.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave a statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine yesterday:
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the situation in Ukraine and Her Majesty’s Government’s support to the Government in Kyiv.
The situation on the ground is grave. As we can recall, on 24 February, forces of the Russian army, unprovoked, crossed into Ukraine’s sovereign territory. Along three main axes, Russian armour has attempted to occupy Ukraine. Its plan was to reach and encircle Kyiv, encircle Ukrainian forces near the border and invade from the south to link up with its forces via Mariupol.
Russian high command committed 65% of its entire land forces, which are indisputably in possession of overwhelming firepower and armour. It is estimated that at the start of the invasion they had between 110 and 120 battalion tactical groups dedicated to the task, compared with approximately 65 in Ukraine.
Their missile stocks gave them even greater strength to reach Ukraine at distance. However, what they did not and still do not possess is the moral component so often needed for victory.
After 14 days of the war, according to the Ukrainian general staff, at 6 March, Russian casualties were assessed to include 285 tanks, 985 armoured fighting vehicles, 109 artillery systems, 50 multiple launch rocket systems, 44 aircraft, 48 helicopters and 11,000 soldiers, who have lost their lives needlessly.
There are numerous reports of surrenders and desertions by the ever-growingly disillusioned Russian army. To be clear, those are Ukrainian figures; I have to caution the House that we have not verified them by defence intelligence or other means.
I can announce to the House our assessment that, of the initial Russian objectives, only one has been successfully achieved.
While Russian forces are in control of Kherson, Melitopol and Berdyansk in southern Ukraine, they currently encircle the cities of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol but are not in control of them.
In addition, their first day objective of targeting Ukrainian air defence has failed, preventing total air dominance. The Ukrainian armed forces have put up a strong defence while mobilising the whole population.
President Putin’s arrogant assumption that he would be welcomed as a liberator has deservedly crumbled as fast as his troops’ morale.
For our part, the United Kingdom continues to play a leading role in supporting Ukraine. On 17 January, I announced to the House the Government’s intention to supply military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces.
The aid took the form of body armour, helmets, boots, ear defenders, ration packs, rangefinders and communication equipment, and for the first time it also included weapons systems. The initial supply was to be 2,000 new light anti-tank weapons (NLAWs), small arms and ammunition.
In response to further acts of aggression by Russia, we have now increased that supply. I can update the House that, as of today, we have delivered 3,615 NLAWs and continue to deliver more. We will shortly be starting the delivery of a small consignment of anti-tank Javelin missiles as well. I want to assure the House that everything we do is bound by the decision to supply defensive systems and is calibrated not to escalate to a strategic level.
Britain was the first European country to supply lethal aid. I was pleased that not long after a military aid donor conference I held on 25 February, many more countries decided to do the same.
From right across Europe, the donations came. In particular, I want to highlight the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Romania, the Baltic states, Belgium and Slovenia for their leadership, and we should not ignore the significance of the German Government joining us, in a change of stance, and donating such aid.
Donations are not enough; the delivery of aid to the front line is just as important. Here, again, Britain is leading, because alongside Canada, the United States and Sweden, we have invested in building Ukrainian military capacity since 2015, and we find ourselves able to co-ordinate the delivery alongside our partners.
As the conflict intensifies, the Russians are changing their tactics, so the Ukrainians need to, too. We can all see the horrific devastation inflicted on civilian areas by Russian artillery and airstrikes, which have been indiscriminate and murderous. It is therefore vital that Ukraine maintains its ability to fly and to suppress Russian air attack.
To date, the international community has donated more than 900 man-portable air defence missiles and thousands of anti-tank guided weapons of varying types, as well as various small arms.
However, the capability needs strengthening, so in response to Ukrainian requests the Government have taken the decision to explore the donation of Starstreak high-velocity, man-portable anti-air missiles. We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons, but will allow the Ukrainian forces to better defend their skies. We shall also be increasing supplies of rations, medical equipment, and other non-lethal military aid.
As with any war, the civilian population is suffering horrendous hardships. According to the Ukrainian Minister of Education, 211 schools have been damaged or destroyed, and media footage shows Russian strikes hitting kindergartens.
The Chernihiv regional administration reported that the Russian air force was employing FAB-500 unguided bombs against targets in the city, and according to Human Rights Watch, civilians in Mariupol have now been without water and power for almost a week.
President Zelenskyy talked of children dying of thirst. Today the estimated number of Ukrainian civilians killed or injured stands at more than 1,000, but the true figure is expected to be much higher, and I am afraid that worse is likely to come.
It is for that reason that the UK will increase its funding for Ukraine to £220 million, which includes £120 million of humanitarian aid. That will make the United Kingdom the single biggest bilateral humanitarian donor to Ukraine. We are also supporting humanitarian work with the Polish and Romanian Governments on the borders.
As I said in my last statement, we still believe that it is worth trying to build diplomatic pressure on Russia. This week, my good friend the Prime Minister met the Prime Ministers of Canada, the Netherlands and Poland. He also spoke to the leaders of France, Germany and the United States, and the Prime Ministers of Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The Foreign Secretary is in Washington at the G7, and also attended the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting earlier this month. I myself met the Ukrainian Ambassador just this morning. President Putin should be and can be in no doubt that the international community is united against his actions. It remains strong, and will not back down.
As well as giving direct military support to Ukraine, we continue to bolster our contribution towards NATO’s collective security. NATO Defence Ministers will gather next week in Brussels to discuss the next steps. The UK is doing its bit in giving military support and reassurance to its allies.
We are currently supplying significant air power to NATO, including increased air patrols, with both Typhoons and F-35s for NATO air policing. We have also deployed four additional Typhoons to Cyprus to patrol NATO’s eastern border, and have sent an additional 800 troops to Estonia.
Over the last week, Apache and Chinook helicopters were involved in exercises in Estonia. Meanwhile, HMS Diamond has sailed to the eastern Mediterranean, HMS Northumberland is taking part in a northern deployment, and HMS Grimsby is in the Norwegian sea supporting NATO mine countermeasures.
On Monday HMS Prince of Wales, RFA Tidesurge and HMS Defender joined HMS Albion and RFA Mounts Bay for Exercise Cold Response, a multinational exercise off the coast of Norway, and HMS Richmond will be exercising with the Joint Expeditionary Force.
We have put over 1,000 more British troops on readiness to support humanitarian responses in the bordering countries. Britain’s contribution to NATO is significant and enduring. It is important at this time that, in order to maximise our reassurance and resilience effect, we co-ordinate through NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Few of us will not have been moved by President Zelenskyy’s speech yesterday. His people are fighting for their very survival. His country is united against this aggression, and it is indeed his country’s darkest hour.
Yesterday I saw footage of a Russian armoured train, bristling with guns, heading towards Mariupol. A single brave Ukrainian woman ran to the train and shouted “Slava Ukraini”—unmoved, unintimidated by the guns. That woman’s bravery should inspire us all.
I know that many of our constituents, and our colleagues, are fearful of what will happen next. President Putin and the Kremlin continue to threaten countries that offer help to Ukraine. Their military campaign will, I am afraid, become more brutal and more indiscriminate, but it is my firm belief that our strength to stand up to such bullying comes from our alliances. As long as we stand united, both as a House and as the international community, the Kremlin’s threats cannot hurt us.
We should take strength from the peoples right across Europe who are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our values—our freedom, our tolerance, our democracy and our free press. That is our shield.
