Charities warn crisis in Ukraine could last for years

CHARITIES on the ground in Ukraine fear the crisis will last for at least three years and is causing the “fastestgrowing refugee crisis since the Second World War”.

The chairwoman of the Disasters Emergency Committee, Sue Inglish, said the war in Ukraine was already a “massive crisis”, with charity workers on the front line delivering food, medicine, supplies and first aid to those affected.

Ms Inglish praised the “extraordinary generosity of the British public” as she revealed that the appeal had raised more than £120 million, including £12m from Scotland, to support 15 of the major humanitarian aid charities, including the British Red Cross, Save the Children, Christian Aid and

Oxfam.

But witnesses said that donations of unnecessary items such as high-heel shoes were “holding back a mammoth volunteer effort” as people were having to sort through boxes of donated belongings.

Giving evidence to Holyrood’s Europe and External Affairs Committee, Ms Inglish said: “The scale of the need, as you will have seen from the distressing pictures on our TV screens and newspapers, is massive.

“We are estimating that this is going to be the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War.

“Over two million refugees have already fled to neighbouring countries in the last 13 days.

“UN estimates are around seven million people could be internally displaced within Ukraine, and up to 18 million people affected in the country.”

She added: “It is a massive crisis and I think we all recognise that it’s one that’s likely to continue for many years.

“Our initial estimate is that we will be working through this appeal for at least three years.”