The head of the U.N. Children's Fund acknowledged Friday that the aid organization does not have access to the eastern part of Ukraine where Russia has claimed authority amid the ongoing conflict.
"We know children are in need, but we can't get to them very easily. And that is disturbing," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, around 5.5 million Ukrainian children, including many who have been evacuated abroad, have been affected, according to a UNICEF report released in September.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared in September the annexation of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in Ukraine's east.
UNICEF has started preparing for the upcoming winter season in Ukraine, during which temperatures plummet, amid concerns for children's survival as families are unable to heat their homes because of damage to their houses and a lack of access to electricity or fuel.
"We're shipping in tons of supplies into Ukraine. And that includes winter jackets, blankets, tents, things like that," Russell said.
