Ukraine: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (September to October 2024) [EN/UK]

The impact of intensified military operations in front-line regions of Ukraine was the main access impediment for humanitarian operations in September and October. Front-line changes in parts of Donetska and Kharkivska oblasts, where 43 locations with over a thousand civilians were occupied by the Russian Federation Armed Forces, became inaccessible to humanitarian organizations. Also, the increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) contributed to a complex operating environment with dire humanitarian consequences in the front line along the Dnipro River, particularly in Khersonska Oblast.

Aid workers and humanitarian facilities continued to be affected by the fighting, with reported violent incidents increasing by more than a third, from 16 to 26, compared to July and August. Near the front line, where over two-thirds of the incidents occurred, the operational environment further deteriorated. Since the beginning of the year, 9 humanitarian workers have been killed in the line of duty, and 40 more injured. Notably, on 12 September, an aid distribution site was hit in the village of Viroliubivka, located just 9 km from the front line in Donetska Oblast. This incident resulted in the deaths of three aid workers, injuries to two more, and the destruction of two trucks with humanitarian aid and three vehicles.

Following this incident, local authorities implemented a temporary permit system to access towns and villages within 10 km of the front line in Donetska Oblast. While the small number of humanitarian actors still active in these areas managed to continue their operations in this area, two incidents related to restrictions of movement were reported to the Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework (AMRF). Gradually, the focus shifted from a permit system to improving coordination for humanitarian movements.

Access challenges were also reported by humanitarian actors in the Kupianskyi and Iziumskyi raions of Kharkivska Oblast, where the pressure from the Russian Armed Forces east of the Oskil River and the continuous targeting of the few available bridges complicated civilian movement. As a result, the humanitarian response for the remaining 5,000 civilians on the eastern bank became increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.

Humanitarian access in Khersonska Oblast, where the front line runs along the Dnipro River was particularly constrained in riverside hromadas and Kherson City. Four out of five incidents that caused damage to humanitarian assets, including vehicles and all instances of damage to humanitarian warehouses and aid distribution sites, occurred in these areas. The rising report of UAV strikes against civilian vehicles or large gatherings of people raised significant concerns.

Humanitarians reported a significant increase in the impact of military mobilization on humanitarian operations, with incidents reported rising from 17 in July to August to 28 in the current reporting period. A 40 per cent increase in the reports was mostly in Kharkivska, Dnipropetrovska and Mykolaivska oblasts, with a specific impact in transit centres and for winter response activities. The government announced an audit of the conscription exemption system taking place between 8 October and 15 November. During this period, NGOs are expected to have adapted their operations to limit the exposure of their staff.