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Humanitarian situation in E. Ukraine remains difficult: OSCE

Xinhua, October 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The humanitarian situation near the frontline in eastern Ukraine remains difficult despite the lull in fighting, especially in rural areas, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Friday.

"The general humanitarian situation in the villages triggers concern. Particularly worrisome is the readiness of the heating system and the availability of fuel on the eve of the approaching winter," said Alexander Hug, deputy chief of the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine.

The situation is exacerbated by a drastic rise in food costs and a lack of access to international humanitarian aid in areas controlled by pro-independence insurgents, Hug said.

Meanwhile, he said, the truce established in eastern Ukraine on Sept. 1 has allowed many displaced people to return to their homes and re-open their businesses in Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

"People on the ground believe that normalization of the situation is possible," Hug said.

The conflict, which started in April 2014, forced more than 1.4 million people to flee their homes in Donetsk and Lugansk regions, according to the Ukrainian Social Policy Ministry. Endi