Exclusive interview with the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine and Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown who finishing her two-year mission in Ukraine to the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency

Text: Valerie Proshchenko

What you can say about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine as of today. We understand that a lot has changed since 2022, but what are we facing today?

Firstly, the needs are huge. Over 14 million people in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian assistance. And when we say humanitarian assistance, that means somebody who needs help every single day, either with food or shelter or medical or protection services. What we see happening in Ukraine is that needs are only increasing. And that's to be expected, because the war continues and, in some places in the country, intensifies.

And as we go towards the winter months, I know the government, with the partners including the UN, is doing everything possible to improve the energy situation. But if we have a winter with insufficient supplies of energy, then there will be more people in need of assistance. So, there's growing needs in the country.

What is the current humanitarian situation in the Kharkiv region, for example Vovchansk, that has recently suffered from another Russian offensive? And what is the humanitarian situation in the regional center Kharkiv city?

I was in Kharkiv last week. What I can say about Vovchansk, from my point of view, there was a very strong, solid, effective response that included the local authorities, regional authorities, the local volunteer organizations, the international organizations, the UN, of course. It was a horrendous situation. I was there. But everything was done to support the people coming out.

I was in Kupiansk last week. I was standing up on the hill, and I could see the explosions, the artillery fire. Despite that, what really struck me was that the ATM was working, so people were able, people were lining up, small lineups, because you can't have big groups of people to get cash out. I can say that we have excellent cooperation with authorities there, the humanitarian response works very well. We work with the head of the city, and local authorities know who to call to help citizens, and we are doing regular deliveries.

So everyone is doing what they can to support those people.

But the violence in the Kharkiv region is so unpredictable. We do remember the cruel attack on Epicenter. So Kharkiv has been through a lot, but people are still there. My favorite restaurant in Ukraine is in Kharkiv, by the way, and I can still go there. It strikes me as quite extraordinary that despite this intense offensive by Russia against Kharkiv, the city is alive, and I can still go and sit in a lovely place with lovely people, Ukrainians.

The front line in Ukraine is now more than 3,000 kilometers long. And that means that people are suffering in different regions. But according to your assessments, where is the humanitarian situation the worst now?

I don't compare humanitarian need, because a person in need is a person in need. But there are areas which are more difficult than they were, and it’s definitely the Donetsk region. We were going pretty regularly there. I've been to Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Seversk, etc. I make the UN go regularly, we should be doing the hardest part of the work.

But unfortunately, we can't go there anymore. Now we get as close as possible, and then there'll be smaller movements into those communities, but not by the UN. There, very courageous local volunteers. But you know we go in with big trucks, it's just impossible to reach safely. Similarly, in the Kherson region, we still go to the settlements along the river Dnipro.

It's difficult because of the attacks on the aid workers back in January, when a couple of our colleagues were targeted and killed. But we were there last week, or as close as possible to some of the communities. We work very closely with the authorities and get updated information so we know, okay, here it's quiet, we can go in quickly, or again, we go as close as possible.

Also I have to mention Kherson, the situation there is very difficult. We try and do as much as possible. And it's not just supplies that we're providing there, but also services. UNICEF does a lot with “Vodakanal”; WHO, UNFPA support the hospitals. So we're trying to make that shift because people are staying in their home.

What about other regions in the south?

I have been to Mykolaiv and Odesa recently.

What I would like to say is that in Mykolaiv we have very close cooperation with the with the Governor Vitaliy Kim who has a very clear vision. The front line moved back in November 2022. So there's more opportunities to do investments in Mykolaiv rather than humanitarian assistance.

So we're trying to accompany governor Kim in his vision. He goes very fast, we're trying to keep up. He always tells me: “Guys, you are too slow”. But we are investing there in rebuilding schools, infrastructure. We will launch soon our livelihood support for agricultural demining. So those farmers who can't use their fields because they're mined, we provide that support, as we're doing in Kharkiv.

And also the UN Economic Council for Europe (ECOSOC) is supporting the vision of the city of Mykolaiv and the architects and the team from Geneva were there in July. A lot is being done there and in Sumy to support local communities to move forward in their own development.

I know that you have said many times about Ukrainian humanitarian needs abroad and that funds are needed importantly. But in your opinion will the funds come in Ukraine at least at the same level the next year? Or we have to be prepared for the budget cut?

Unfortunately, the longer the war continues, the more difficult it's going to be for us to get humanitarian funding. The world is seeing some very terrible situations in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, so it's harder and harder for us to get the funding right now. Our humanitarian response plan is a summary of all of our humanitarian actions in Ukraine. It is three billion dollars for 2024 and it's only funded at 30% while last year at the same time it was way over 50%. It is more and more difficult. But I try to be very clear in the message I give to the donors: the war is not over, the suffering is not over, the needs increase, and do not normalize the war in Ukraine.

You know, we often say the people of Ukraine are so resilient, and absolutely that's true. I see it because I travel so much, but it doesn't mean you don't need some support. It doesn't mean you can manage on your own. So, as long as I'm in Ukraine, which is not for much longer, I was pushing very hard on that message. I was in Geneva a few weeks ago and I met a number of ambassadors and I gave that message. And I had a meeting recently with donors here in Ukraine. I gave that message. And I want to very much appreciate the message by the Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk. We were together in Brussels a few months ago for a big meeting on Ukraine and she was very clear on that. Let's hope we're successful.

How do donors react to your messages?

They always react very constructively and positively because they know that I am committed to traveling in this country so that I can advocate for the people who live in Toretsk or Chasiv Yar, Kupiansk or Orikhiv. They know that my advocacy is based on my understanding of the situation, the huge amount of data we have and the voices of people. I don't speak on their behalf, but I only speak when they can’t. I know the donors are convinced but the needs in other countries are so massive.

But there has to be a way for the international community to continue to support all of these places until political solutions are found. And until there are solutions, the people of Ukraine also need to be supported.

I saw your statement just after horrible russian attacks on the biggest pediatric hospital in Ukraine National Specialized Children's Hospital “Ohmatdyt” and ISIDA clinic. What kind of support the UN organizations and your partners have provided?

My words are very important to condemn something so that everyone in the world knows what's happening. And secondly is the action. The World Health Organization and UNICEF, the two directors, immediately went with the Deputy Minister of Health to the hospital.

The immediate needs were for water, cash support for some of the families, psychosocial support. But it has to go way beyond that. What's happening right now is as soon as the Ministry of Health can tell us and all of the health partners how they plan to reconstruct, what needs to be done, we will absolutely be there to support.

We have already received a list of equipment that's required. WHO and UNICEF are looking at how they will provide some of that equipment. Some of the children need to be medevaced, so the Ministry of Health and WHO support that. UNICEF will be providing cash to those families who need to be medevaced.

There are different kinds of support. But absolutely, the UN will be there to help rebuild.

These attacks are grave violations of international humanitarian law. We have the data on the damage and destruction of schools, hospitals, health clinics in the country. There is every single day in Ukraine a school or a hospital, or a health clinic, could be small, could be big, which is damaged or destroyed on average. That's the data that the UN has.

So that's pretty strong data. Hospitals have special protection under international humanitarian law because this is where people go for services. It's not part of the war.

But you probably know that Ukrainians criticize the UN because of words.

Yes, I know, but again, words are very important for actions. When something happens, like the massive attack against the hospital, this is why the UN spoke so strongly at all levels.

It was not just me who spoke. The Secretary General spoke. The UNICEF Director General spoke. The Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, is a great violation of human rights. And that leads to immediate actions.

Yes, but you can see some frustration among Ukrainians about the consequences of all russian atrocities. Sometimes it seems like time just passes away and people abroad just forget about everything.

We don't forget. We haven't forgotten Kherson. We haven't forgotten Kharkiv. And I don't forget the attack on the Epicenter. And that's why we're actually physically present in these places. I don't operate from Poland. And I don't operate just from Kyiv. We have 100 UN staff in Kharkiv. We have 300 UN staff in Dnipro, 200 in Odessa, 50 in Mykolaiv. We are very present because we want to ensure that continuity. We're not running away.

You know, I was in Kharkiv a couple of months ago when it got so difficult. And one day there were 12 explosions during the day. And someone said to me: “Is the UN going to leave?” And I said: “Are you leaving? No? So why am I leaving?”

We won't forget Ohmatdyt. And the World Health Organization and UNICEF work side by side with the Ministry of Health. I can assure the people of Ukraine that the list of needs that we've already received, we follow up. That when we get a clear plan, which I'm sure is coming soon, but it takes time to do those technical assessments about the rebuilding, we will be there. What we need is for the donors to continue to very generously support what the UN does, what the non-governmental organizations do.

 I want to ask you about Kakhovka Dam. A year has passed since the destruction of the dam. What has been done during this time?

The Ukrainian government and regional authorities are very active on this. We did a technical assessment of the damage caused by the dam destruction with the government.

Exactly what is the soil like now? Is it contaminated? The water? What do the farmers need? And in Kherson region people are still displaced as a result of catastrophe. There are three collective centers for displaced people in Kherson region. There's also work ongoing to repair homes. In the humanitarian community, we do what we call light to medium repairs.

We can help fix the roof or the door or the windows, but not the foundational part.

But that's where we work in great complementarity with the government. We also do a lot with “Vodokanal.” I can't say enough about the importance of the partnership between “Vodokanal” and UNICEF repairing, particularly in the city of Kherson, the sewage systems and the water systems.

Our humanitarian response is immediate, short-term, but we're also there for the medium term. On the medium term, it’s always in partnership with the government. And a lot is being done.

There are some figures. Around 200,000 people were supported through:

•           19 convoys delivered water, food, medicines, repair materials to the people affected by flooding;

•           More than 56,000 people received cash assistance to address critical and immediate needs;

•           65,000 repair items and household supplies were distributed during the first month of the disaster;

•           70,000 people received medicines and medical supplies through mobile services

And we'll be opening up a UN office in Kherson. I visited a couple of potential locations in July. So that is the answer to your question about what is next. Will we forget? We're not going to forget about war because we actually sit there. I've been in Kherson dozens of times, but I want us to be more physically present there. I know in Kyiv, sometimes people say: What do we need the UN for? Go ask the people of Kherson. They know.

 Everyone is to keep talking about winter and preparation for the hard months in Ukraine. What actions are you taking?

The winterization plan is already prepared. We focus on the eight oblasts along the front line, particularly the elderly, women along with children, those who won't be able to buy the fuel they need or the winter clothes they need. Last year we reached more than two million people, and we will do that or a little more again this year.

We have the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, which I oversee. And two weeks ago we launched a request for proposals for those specific winter actions. And we have right now about 68 million U.S. dollars that we will use for that. If it's not enough, we will put more, but we need to start now. Within two or three weeks we will have those proposals finished, agreed upon, and money transferred, so that we start even earlier this year.

With the winterization plan, we aim to reach 1,8 mln people and we need nearly 500 million dollars to do so. We need to prioritize support to the most vulnerable people along the front-line and help them to survive the winter with provision of shelter/non-food items, health, WASH, collective sites services and livelihoods. 

And, of course, we consult with Minister Iryna Vereshchuk and the regional authorities about needs.

The energy sector is different. That’s not something that the humanitarian community can handle. The American, European partners and the UN Development Program help Ukraine with equipment. For instance, UNDP is bringing in gas turbines. Last year they brought in the transformers. So they deal in big equipment for the energy infrastructure.

 Do you think that more Ukrainians including of course children are going to leave because of possible absence of electricity in winter and heavy russian attacks?

Everything we do is to support those who are directly impacted by the war. Providing supplies, providing services and helping people get documents. We provide a lot of legal support through the UNHCR, Ukrainian organizations like Proliska and Right to Protection to give people a reason to stay, to give them what they need to stay.

I can't predict what's going to happen, but  we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

 I cannot ask about Black Sea Grain Initiative. A few weeks ago, the Turkish President said to President Zelensky that efforts had begun to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Do you know something about that?

I can only say that I'm not privy to what's discussed between President Zelensky and President Erdogan, but of course the Secretary General and the whole UN was behind this massive Black Sea Grain Initiative, with Turkey leadership. If they call, we're there.

 You are going to finish your mission in Ukraine soon in August 2024. Maybe you can name a few main things that you are proud of during your work and some things that you wish were done better.

So when I was in Kharkiv last week, I sat with all the humanitarian partners, local, national, international, and a Ukrainian woman from a women's organization stood up and said: “I come from a small organization, but we feel part of the humanitarian community, and my organization supports 30,000 people. And then she said that we are a powerful humanitarian community.”

We have worked hard to do better in our response to Russian aggression, and a woman in Kharkiv telling me that together we are a powerful humanitarian community, She used that word. And that’s important. But I wouldn't use the word proud, because in the context of war, it's hard to feel proud. But I feel the community is moving in the right direction, together.

What could be done better? You know, I have worked for the UN for  long time, and I know that between Ukraine and the UN, maybe it's kind of a love-hate relationship. I got here in August 2022, and I needed time to figure out how to demonstrate that the Security Council is one thing, not my business, and the UN Humanitarian is totally my business and my responsibility. I had to figure out how to demonstrate to all of you that we were willing to do whatever was necessary to support people affected by the war. So I can leave now, because I don't think I can do anything else. We have done our best.

And again, if you go to Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia or Donetsk  regions, or Kherson, Mykolaiv, they know us very well. But I regret still that in Kyiv you still don't know us very well. Maybe I wish I would have figured out sooner how to communicate that better to people of Ukraine.

But you know, the humanitarian community, we have a massive operation here. When I arrived, it was around 1800 people. And we have 3,200 UN staff now. A lot of people came in very quickly. We have more than 600 internationals, most of whom never worked in Ukraine before. Setting up that operation, and making sure we were saving people's lives, I focused on that. And then you focus on the operational part, then the communication part is not very strong. So that's what I wish I would do better next time.

The humanitarian community in Ukraine is comprised of volunteer organizations, national and international and the authorities. We’re here together. Helping together.