site.btaBulgarian Red Cross Aids 143,000-Plus Ukrainians Since Start of Military Conflict

The Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) has aided more than 143,000 Ukrainians in Bulgaria during the six months since the start of the military conflict in their country, the humanitarian organization said on Wednesday.

Since February 24, the BRC has sent more than 225 tonnes of new clothes, footwear, consumables, hygiene materials and other supplies in aid to the people of Ukraine care of the Ukrainian Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The organization has raised over BGN 4.1 million in support of the victims in a campaign launched on February 27.

Over 120,000 food packages and water have been handed out to the 60,000-plus Ukrainian refugees who remained in Bulgaria, and more than 12,600 have called a psychological counselling hotline opened by the BRC. So far, 483 Ukrainian nationals have been helped in their family reunion efforts.

Nearly 4,900 employees and volunteers countrywide have been recruited by the BRC to provide assistance and support to Ukrainian asylum seekers here.

Nearly 26,000 refugees from the conflict in Ukraine have received legal aid, psychological counselling and social advice at six Blue Point centres which the BRC organized in partnership with the UNHCR, UNICEF and the WHO. Similar centres function in the territory of Romania, Poland and Moldova.