Turkish Red Crescent launches aid campaign for Ukraine

ANKARA

The Turkish Red Crescent has launched a nationwide aid campaign for Ukrainians affected by Russia’s war on their country.

The campaign called "For Ukraine now!" aims to reach people affected by the war in Ukraine, a statement by the aid group said Monday.

"Civilian settlements have turned into battlefields, and civilians, children, women, the elderly and the disabled are trying to hold onto life in cold and troubled conditions in shelters and metro stations in fear and panic," the agency added.

The Red Crescent Ukraine Humanitarian Aid Operation was launched in response to the request of the Ukrainian Red Cross, it said, adding that its teams deployed in Ukraine and neighboring countries delivered humanitarian aid to all regions of Ukraine as well as to evacuation routes.

The first Turkish Red Crescent convoy with five trucks of humanitarian aid, including food, blankets, bedding, hygiene materials, and tents, was sent to Ukraine with a humanitarian team, and the new convoys were prepared based on needs, it added.

People can donate by sending a text message to 2868, or via its official website, and through cash in all branches of the Turkish Red Crescent across the country.

Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fifth day on Monday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital, Kyiv.

The war has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, Japan, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.

At least 102 civilians have so far been killed in Ukraine and more than 500,000 others have fled the country, according to UN officials.

Ukraine’s Health Ministry has said more than 350 civilians have been killed and over 1,600 injured in the war.