They flee desperately by car, by coach, by train or on foot – any way they can. As a huge 40-mile convoy of Russian military weaponry approached Kyiv on the seventh day of fighting, thousands of terrified Ukrainian families were on the move with the United Nations reporting that 660,000 Ukrainians have already crossed the border - a figure expected to soon surpass 1 million.
Sadly, among 136 Ukrainian civilian deaths announced by the UN are 13 children with another 26 children said to be among the 400 injured. On Wednesday, we turn our focus to the Ukrainian children who have lost parents, brothers, sisters and friends - or have fled their homes, schools and normal lives, many waving goodbye to fathers who stayed behind to fight.
That is why we are announcing that Save The Children will be the second beneficiary of the Evening Standard Ukraine Appeal, alongside the Red Cross which we reported on Tuesday.
Save the Children has worked in Ukraine since 2014 and will provide cash and vouchers for displaced Ukrainian families and those who have crossed the border so they can buy food, medicine and other essentials. The charity will also offer shelter, winter kits of warm clothes and blankets, hygiene packs and psychological support.
In just 24 hours, we have raised more than £70,000 together with our sister title The Independent, whose appeal has the same beneficiaries. It’s a fast start but the need is urgent and rising exponentially.
Save the Children say a £10 donation will buy a family hygiene kit, £50 will feed a mother and her children for a fortnight and £100 will provide a displaced family with emergency shelter. Please give generously.
Gwen Hines, CEO of Save the Children UK, said: “Millions of children are at grave risk of physical harm and emotional distress. Any family forced from their home needs shelter, food, water – the absolute basics. We’re also in mid-winter with temperatures below zero, which makes displacement even more dangerous. We’re providing life-saving assistance in the form of food, water, cash. Please help.”
To donate please go to: gofundme.com/eveningstandardukraineappeal
