UN says helps up to 900,000 people in Ukraine, more needed

The United Nations Security Council assembles for a meeting on humanitarian relief aid amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., March 29, 2022. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado

U.N. aid agencies have managed to help up to 900,000 people in Ukraine so far, but they must be guaranteed safe passage by the warring parties to be able to do more, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"That's good but it's far from enough," Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a briefing, calling for safe passage for aid workers and convoys.

Separately, Jarno Habicht, the representative for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Ukraine, said 72 people had been killed and 40 people injured in 74 attacks on health care facilities so far in the conflict.

Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzya attends a United Nations Security Council meeting, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., March 29, 2022. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson, Editing by Miranda Murray)

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya shakes hands with United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman prior to the United Nations Security Council meeting, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., March 29, 2022. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado