Caritas Australia has expressed deep sorrow and concern following devastating updates from Caritas colleagues in Ukraine, where aid workers and their families are facing escalating danger as attacks intensify.
Recent reports from Caritas confederation member Caritas Spes Ukraine reveal a rapidly deteriorating security situation, particularly in frontline areas including Nikopol, Sloviansk, Bilozerka and Kherson.
In Nikopol, shelling has intensified dramatically in recent days, with enemy drones targeting civilian areas. Residents are largely confined to their homes, fearing that even brief trips outside could prove fatal.
On April 4, a daytime attack on a local market killed five people and injured more than 20 others. Access routes into and out of the city remain under constant fire, severely restricting the delivery of food and humanitarian supplies.
Faced with these conditions, Caritas Spes Ukraine made the hard decision to evacuate staff from Nikopol to protect their lives and the lives of their children.
“It was very hard to decide to leave our home, our work, and the people we had grown used to,” a staff member said.
“We hesitated for a long time because we did not want to leave the city and everything that was so dear to us.”
Tragically, Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas Ukraine, confirmed the death of 11-year-old Maksym Veremchuk, the son of a staff member, following a Russian missile strike on Kyiv on April 15.
Maksym was killed by shrapnel after the blast of the missile struck a residential complex. His death has been deeply felt across the Caritas family.
“The courage shown by local Caritas teams, even as their own lives are under threat, is extraordinary. They should not have to suffer loss and displacement as they serve their own communities,” Caritas Australia chief executive Kirsten Sayers said.
Ms Sayers also warned that as new conflicts dominate global attention, the war in Ukraine risks becoming a forgotten crisis.
“As violence escalates in other parts of the world, Ukraine is slipping from headlines, but for millions of people the suffering has not stopped,” she said.
“Caritas agencies remain on the ground because the need remains immense. We urge the international community not to turn away, and to continue supporting humanitarian assistance that saves lives and upholds human dignity.”
Details: Caritas Australia’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
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Caritas under threat in Ukraine amid intensifying conflict (Caritas Australia)
