The Estonian foreign ministry is recommending avoiding non-essential travel to Ukraine due to the Russian threat of war against the country; it also allocated €351,700 to help the people living near the line of contact in eastern Ukraine.
“Due to an increased risk of military action by Russia, we recommend avoiding non-essential travel to Ukraine,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Estonian nationals currently in Ukraine are advised to reconsider the need to remain in the country and return to Estonia if possible,” it added.
The ministry urges Estonian nationals currently in Ukraine to register their stay on the Reisi Targalt website.
The foreign ministry also allocated €351,700 to Ukraine as needs-based humanitarian assistance.
“The aim of the donation is to support the people living near the line of contact in eastern Ukraine and help Ukraine prepare for potential migration.”
Additional funds and actions for assistance
In addition, the ministry allocated €190,000 for additional assistance to vulnerable households and elderly people near the line of contact.
“The support is aimed at helping them cope during the winter, for example to obtain firewood, basic necessities, warm blankets or clothes. The deteriorating economic environment may call for individual assistance: food, sanitary items, and medical and psychosocial assistance to residents of frontline villages.”
The actions worth €60,000 in total are carried out by the Estonian NGOs Mondo and the Estonian Refugee Council in cooperation with the local governments, social service workers and partners in Ukraine who have the best insight into the needs of local residents and know which families are in the most urgent need of help.
The Estonian Red Cross is providing €30,000 via the Ukrainian Red Cross societies, offering material and psychosocial assistance to the emotionally exhausted residents of the conflict zone. The International Committee of the Red Cross is giving €100,000 through the local Red Cross societies to provide medical assistance near the line of contact where the impact of fighting most palpably felt, according to the Estonian foreign ministry.
Russia has reportedly mobilised over 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s border and the Russian president Vladimir Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and NATO agreement to his demands for a new security order in the Eastern and Central Europe.
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