On Thursday, September 9, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine Mr. Claude Wild officially handed over 200’000 Covid-19 antigen tests in the amount of 1 million USD to the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories of Ukraine represented by Deputy Minister Ms. Inna Drahanchuk. The tests will be delivered to Kherson with the aim to increase testing capacity of civilians in the Kherson Oblast. In his speech, Mr. Ambassador highlighted: “We continue to be committed to the conflict-affected people of eastern Ukraine. For this reason, Switzerland is currently carrying out its largest ever humanitarian transport to eastern Ukraine since 2015”.

Switzerland is currently carrying out its largest ever aid transport to eastern Ukraine since 2015. 2’300 tonnes of chemicals for drinking water treatment, medical equipment for hospitals and 1.5 million antigen tests for pandemic control are being delivered to the population in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions on both sides of the ’line of contact’. 144 trucks are required to dispatch this highly needed relief supplies. The convoy is accompanied by six members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA). The delivery of humanitarian goods is conducted with the active support of the Ukrainian government and interlocutors in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as in Kherson Oblast. The aim is to ensure a fair distribution of relief supplies in accordance with humanitarian principles for the benefit of the civilian population.

Since 2015, Switzerland, in coordination with the central government delivered more than 15’500 tonnes of relief supplies worth almost CHF 27 million into the conflict area. The continued supply of medical equipment for hospitals has significantly improved access to lifesaving treatment for the population on both sides of the ‘line of contact’. Additionally, Switzerland’s supply of around 50 percent of the chemicals required annually has also enabled the Donetsk water utility Voda Donbasa to provide sufficient and good quality drinking water to up to four million people on both sides of the ‘line of contact’.

Switzerland stresses the importance of granting humanitarian organizations access to the conflict-affected population, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Access to basic services has to be ensured for all citizens, and freedom of movement for civilians within the conflict zone must be guaranteed. Switzerland calls on all sides to respect and protect critical civilian infrastructures. 

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