GENEVA, August 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s 22,000 citizens fled war-torn Donetsk and Luhansk between August 8 and 15, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report on the situation in Ukraine as of August 15.
“Continuing shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk increases number of displaced,” the report reads. “More than 22,000 people have fled Donetsk and Luhansk in the last five days compared to 6,200 in the week of 1 to 8 August."
“Humanitarian needs continue to increase. At least 200,000 people living in Luhansk have been deprived of electricity, running water and communication for more than 10 days,” the report says.
“The humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine continues to deteriorate. Fighting and shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk continues to trigger more displacement. As of 13 August, the number of displaced increased to 155,800 while more than 188,000 people have fled eastern Ukraine to seek refuge in Russian Federation," the UN added.
However, the data is not accurate, as many refugees coming into Russia do not register with the Federal Migration Service or other authorities. Back on August 5, UN quoted 730,000 refugees sheltering in Russia since April.
OCHA said in the latest report that “at least 2,119 (including at least 20 children) (were) killed and 5,043 (including at least 30 children) (were) wounded in east Ukraine as of 13 August; on average, at least 60 persons a day have been killed or wounded since mid-April."