Suceava, in Romania, will send humanitarian aid to twinned city in Ukraine

Mayor Ion Lungu said that the city will gift 100,000 euros worth of diesel generators, water tanks, heaters and more

On Friday, the Mayor of Suceava in Romania, Ion Lungu, announced that the city will send humanitarian aid to its twin city in Ukraine – Chernivtsi. The city will spend just over 100,000 euros on mobile diesel power generators, first aid kits, mattresses, sleeping bags and tents. They will deliver the package to local authorities in Chernivtsi as a gift.

According to a statement by Mayor Lungu on social media, authorities in Suceava have been in contact with their counterparts in Chernivtsi and the move is a response to a request by their mayor, Roman Klichuk.

Local aid for local issues

Authorities in Chernivtsi have asked their partners from Suceava for logistical and humanitarian help. The main request is for diesel power generators, as well as heaters and water tanks, as this infrastructure is critical for people trying to pull through the cold weather.

The Local Council in Suceava, in their own right, have opted to buy the supplies on the market, so that they can be sent as soon as possible.

At the same time, according to Mayor Lungu, many citizens want to volunteer and provide humanitarian aid, including accommodations for the refugees. The city has opened a telephone line so that it can centralise the volunteer offers and coordinate efforts.

Mayor Ion Lungu wrote on social media, explaining: "We must show solidarity with our brothers in Chernivtsi in these dramatic times. We pray to God to enlighten the minds of policymakers and to end this war as soon as possible.”

The start of an exodus

Last Tuesday Suceava county was one of the first in Romania to announce they are ready to take in refugees. The swift response was partially motivated by the fact that this is one of the counties bordering Ukraine. Furthermore, the distance between Suceava city and Chernivtsi, one of the biggest cities on the Ukrainian side near the border, is around 90 kilometres.

Since the conflict broke out, many people living in the eastern and central parts of Ukraine have become internally displaced or have decided to flee to the West as refugees. Many of the internally displaced have opted to go to the west of Ukraine, as the fighting there is less intense.

According to a statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as many as 370,000 people have managed to flee Ukraine from the start of the crisis until Sunday. They also estimate that that number could grow to as many as 5 million as the conflict escalates.

Romanian authorities, on the other hand, say that from 21 February until 28 February, 74,701 Ukrainians entered Romania and around 40,340 have left the country.