Swiss emergency relief supplies arrive in Ukraine

Aid workers load Swiss humanitarian relief supplies onto a train bound for Ukraine. Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit

Around 35 tonnes of emergency aid, including medical equipment and tents, sent from Switzerland to help victims of the war in Ukraine have arrived in the capital, Kyiv.

“The aid is urgently needed for hospitals serving the Ukrainian population,” the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) tweeted on Sunday.

35 tons of medical supplies from Switzerland for emergency humanitarian aid just arrived in #KyivExternal link. The aid is urgently needed for hospitals serving the #UkrainianExternal link population. The @SwissHumAidUnitExternal link organised the transport by rail to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/Xln2bdqZMPExternal link

— Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (@SwissHumAidUnit) March 6, 2022External link

A large part of the humanitarian aid had been flown from Zurich to the Polish capital Warsaw last Tuesday. A convoy of trucks also delivered additional material. Together this was sent by rail to Ukraine and arrived in Kyiv on Sunday evening.

The emergency relief supplies include medicines and family tents equipped with mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, heaters, defibrillators, respirators, hygiene masks and medical protective clothing.

The aid supplies are part of Switzerland’s overall support package worth around CHF8 million ($8.7 million).

Switzerland has already donated CHF500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ukraine and given CHF250,000 to the UN. It also made an immediate contribution of CHF500,000 to the UN emergency relief fund for Ukraine. Further funding for international organisations such as UN agencies and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are being considered. Switzerland will also support local organisations that are particularly active on the ground and already providing humanitarian aid.

Swiss Solidarity campaign

Swiss Solidarity has launched a fundraising campaign to help cope with an expected humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Donations can be paid via postal account 10-15000-6, adding the words “Crisis in Ukraine”.

In a first phase, the money will be used to help refugees in countries neighbouring Ukraine, notably in Poland. Swiss Solidarity works with charities and aid organisations, including Caritas, HEKS/EPER, the Swiss Red Cross, Helvetas, Medair, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Terre des hommes foundation.

If possible and if necessary, aid projects will also be supported in Ukraine.

The money goes exclusively towards humanitarian aid.

Swiss SolidarityExternal linkExternal link is an independent foundation. It was born from a programme by the French-language public radio and is now the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, the parent company of SWI swissinfo.ch.