Agencies, major NGOs ordered out of Ukraine’s Luhansk

More than 8,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million people displaces in the fighting between separatist rebels and Ukrainian government troops in eastern Ukraine.

Since July, pro-Russian rebels have curtailed humanitarian operations in eastern Ukraine and required humanitarian organizations to register with authorities in the breakaway region.

O’Brien’s statement does not name the NGOs being ordered out, though Medecins Sans Frontieres issued a separate statement Thursday saying it was “extremely concerned” by the move.

“Furthermore, I call on everyone with influence over the de facto authorities to use that influence to ensure the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid by United Nations agencies and global NGOs, and to win a commitment by the authorities to end interference in the provision of lifesaving assistance”. “Ukraine expresses its deep concern, as banning the work of worldwide organizations primarily affects civilians”. “We are therefore greatly disturbed that they have resorted to making false accusations about us in the media and tried to intimidate our team by bringing armed men into the office on multiple occasions in the last two weeks”, he said.

O’Brien said restrictions on humanitarian shipments have kept about 16,000 tons of supplies, including food, from being delivered to some 150,000 people dependent upon them.

“Their continued failure in this regard constitutes a blatant violation of global humanitarian law”, O’Brien said.

The only worldwide agency to be granted permission to keep working in rebel-held Luhansk was the global Committee of the Red Cross, but separately on Thursday an ICRC aid convoy of eight trucks was refused entry to separatist-controlled parts of Donetsk region. “Hospitals can not perform surgery because they lack anesthesia”, he said.

“Expelling these organizations puts at risk up to three million people in separatist-held parts of Donbas by denying them access to food, water, medicine, shelter, and clothes in advance of winter”, it said.