Turkish humanitarian aid arrives in Ukraine, Moldova

5 trucks of aid sent for urgent needs of Ukrainian people and 3 others to Moldova, where some 80,000 Ukrainians have fled due to war

By Sertac Bulur and Ayse Sensoy Boztepe

ANKARA (AA) – Eight trucks of humanitarian aid sent by Turkiye for Ukrainians in need due to the war and those who fled the country have been delivered to local authorities in Ukraine and neighboring Moldova, said the state-run Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) on Wednesday.

In a statement, the agency said that while five trucks of aid – including food, personal care items, blankets, beds, and tents – were delivered to authorities in Ukraine, three more were delivered to Moldova, where the UN says some 80,000 Ukrainians have fled due to Russia’s war on their country.

Quoting Sergiu Diaconu from Moldova’s Interior Ministry, the statement said: “We face a large population shift.”

Turkiye is “one of the first countries to lend a helping hand,” he said, adding that Moldova is “grateful to the helpful Turkish people.”

According to the statement, the AFAD team continues to distribute aid to those in need at the Siret Border Gate on the Romanian border with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, an 11-member AFAD humanitarian aid team continues to work in the region to gauge the humanitarian needs in Ukraine and to coordinate the aid sent from Turkiye.

The humanitarian aid trucks sent to the Ukrainian people and Turkish citizens in the region include 1,536 food parcels, 360 family tents, 16 general purpose tents, 680 beds, 680 bedding sets, and 2,640 blankets.

Meanwhile, a team from the Turkish Red Crescent offered refreshments to locals with a mobile vehicle they set up in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began on Feb. 24, it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, Britain, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.

At least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 400 others, including 26 children, injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.

Around 680,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, the international body said Tuesday.

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