GOMEL, 15 August (BelTA) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Belarusian Red Cross Society (BRCS) are ready to provide assistance to Ukrainian people who were forced to leave their homes, head of the ICRC programs on family links restoration and migration Andrei Nechai said as he visited Gomel on 14 August, BelTA has learned.

In his words, refugees from the south-east of Ukraine continue coming to Russia and Belarus. The ICRC is monitoring the situation in the abovementioned countries. Andrei Nechai noted that it is still difficult to assess the scale of problems the Ukrainian refugees have faced. The ICRC, however, is ready to take every necessary effort to provide assistance to them. First of all, it pertains to such vital issues as food, accommodation and work. For these purposes the Red Cross organizations have been actively cooperating with the local authorities, organizations, companies and people.

According to the ICRC representative, such joint efforts have already produced concrete results in Gomel Oblast. Ukrainian nationals that have come to the region can get both employment consultations and assistance in the form of food and hygiene products, temporary accommodation and options for employment. A special database of vacancies and accommodation (predominantly in the rural area) has been set up at the oblast employment and social security committee. At present the databank contains 340 offers. Job offers can be also found at the website of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee.

Andrei Nechai added that Ukrainian people may address the Red Cross organizations to restore the links with the loved ones that are still on the territory of combat operations.

During a working trip to Gomel the ICRC mission met with residents of Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts of Ukraine. The problems voiced by them, mainly humanitarian and medical issues, were discussed at a roundtable meeting with representatives of the local authorities.