The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Supporting the winterization response in Ukraine
With the government of Japan and local partners, UNOPS is supporting people in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region, who are especially vulnerable to the ongoing conflict amid a cold winter.
- This article was originally published 1 October 2022.
Project updates:
01 August 2023
- With additional funding from the government of Japan, UNOPS is restoring multi-apartment buildings in Kharkiv's Kyivskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts, which suffered heavy damage in 2022. The work will repair and revitalise around 20 apartment buildings, addressing extensive damage to windows, walls and utility systems caused by shelling and missile attacks. The priority is to complete necessary repairs before winter begins this year, with more extensive works to be carried out through spring 2024.
12 April 2023
- With additional funding from the government of Japan announced in February, UNOPS delivered 20,000 wearable reflective vests, over 158,000 reflective wristbands and more than 130,000 heat packs to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU), which will help improve safety for pedestrians and public officers. The items support the needs of the NPU formulated earlier in the winter, when large parts of the country suffered power and heating outages.
7 April 2023
84 large-capacity generators have been delivered to over 30 recipients in Kharkiv City and its surrounding areas, exceeding the initial plan of 50 generators due to increasing demand. These generators will provide reliable power supply to district heating, water supply, housing maintenance, medical and educational facilities, including 24 hospitals, 33 kindergartens and 106 schools. It is estimated that these generators will benefit around 250,000 people residing in Kharkiv City and the broader Kharkiv region.
16 February 2023
The government of Japan extended support to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) by approximately $550,000, as part of its winterization assistance in Ukraine.
The escalation of conflict in Ukraine has brought massive devastation in urban centres. The widescale loss of vital infrastructure, including residential buildings and energy networks, has severely disrupted critical public services and left millions of people in crisis – a situation made even more dire by the freezing winter temperatures.
“At this critical time for the country, we are working closely with the government of Ukraine, both on national and local levels, to help accelerate winterization, and prepare for early recovery and reconstruction,” said Jens Wandel, UNOPS Acting Executive Director.
We focus on urgent humanitarian assistance and strengthening the civilian resilience of the Ukrainian people. We will continue to support in the form of generators and other emergency supplies for winterization.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the Kharkiv region has seen the second-highest levels of destruction to civilian infrastructure, accounting for approximately 23 per cent of the total damage in Ukraine.
With over $10 million in funding from the government of Japan, UNOPS will help to address critical winterization and housing needs, focusing on the hard-hit Kharkiv region. The provision of 50 high-capacity generators will contribute to a more stable supply of electricity – providing warm and dry spaces for communities. UNOPS will also repair homes of the conflict-affected population that have suffered various degrees of damage.
UNOPS is committed to supporting the Ukrainian people through early recovery and reconstruction efforts, with an eye on long term reconstruction. Our work with the government of Japan to help address critical energy and housing needs in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region during these cold winter months is a crucial step in the right direction.
The current effort strengthens UNOPS and the government of Japan’s partnership as well as their mutual commitments to support the people of Ukraine during the conflict. With prior funding from Japan, UNOPS procured health equipment worth $4.5 million, helping hospitals deliver key services. In May 2022, UNOPS also delivered more than 100 tonnes of emergency relief supplies, donated by the government and people of Japan to vulnerable people in Ukraine.
