Voices of Ukraine

By website 62.ua, Donetsk
07.20.2014  13:37
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Today, at 13:15, in Donetsk at 215 Chelyuskintsiv Street an offices was smashed.

According to 62.ua eyewitnesses, the room was broken into by unknown persons appearing to be from the DNR [Donetsk People’s Republic], who destroyed it, and then hijacked a car filled with humanitarian aid provided by the international organization “Doctors without Borders,” plus an additional 2 cars. The incident resulted in the office guard becoming injured.

Militants have threatened the medical and humanitarian activities of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Donetsk

By news website 62.ua, Donetsk
07.20.2014  16:52
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Today in the afternoon, unidentified armed men broke into the office of the organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or “Doctors Without Borders,” in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, and stole three vehicles with the logo of the organization. “The international humanitarian medical organization condemns this unacceptable assault and abuse in relation to vehicles intended for humanitarian aid,” their press statement announced.

“We are seriously concerned about the potential abuse of our cars and our logo by armed men,” – said Stephen Prevost, head of MSF in Ukraine. “If a clearly marked MSF vehicle is used by armed men or is simply associated with one of the parties to the conflict, it can lead to serious misunderstandings, jeopardizing our ability to provide medical care to those who need it, as well as jeopardizing the continuation of our project on the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis in prisons.”

As an independent and neutral humanitarian organization, MSF does not take sides in any conflict. Transporting weapons is not allowed in MSF vehicles, they are all clearly marked with signs saying, “without weapons.” In Ukraine, our teams are focused exclusively on providing medical humanitarian aid.

“In two of the cars there were enough MSF medical supplies to treat 100 wounded, and now they will not get to medical facilities that need them,” stated Prevost. “Without these vehicles, the medical activities of MSF in Region C–supplying essential drugs and materials, as well as a program for the treatment of tuberculosis–are in jeopardy.”

With the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, MSF expanded assistance to local hospitals, which are experiencing a huge load. MSF has sent urgently needed medications and supplies to hospitals in the country’s east, recent donations were made in Donetsk, Sloviansk, Luhansk, Torez and Snizhne. All donations of medical supplies, a total amount received of about four tons, were made based on the needs identified by the management of these hospitals.

MSF has been working in Donetsk since 2011, carrying out a program for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the penitentiary system in the region.

Source: 62.ua