War in Ukraine: Development Minister Schulze hands over winter aid to Kyiv

On her fourth visit since the start of the war, Federal Development Aid Minister Svenja Schulze pledged further support to Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia. “I traveled to Ukraine to hand over our winter package,” said the minister in the capital Kiev. In the more than 1,000 days of war, Russia’s goal is to hit the energy supply so that people sit in the cold in the dark. “That’s why we have once again mobilized additional funds to help rebuild the energy supply here,” said the SPD politician. This is essential for survival in the winter temperatures.

“I want to see on site that the money actually gets to where it is needed,” she emphasized. Discussions with representatives of the government and civil society are planned during the visit. The minister visited several reconstruction projects.

After a visit in May, this is Schulze’s second trip to Kiev this year and the fourth to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Millions for energy systems

Among other things, the minister visited a substation belonging to the electricity network operator Ukrenergo (Ukrenerho) in the north of Ukraine, which was repeatedly affected by Russian attacks. Among other things, Schulze was shown newly built protective structures against Russian drone and missile attacks using foreign aid money.

“I assure you that the reconstruction of destroyed facilities is worthwhile and that every euro is used to the maximum effect,” emphasized Ukrenergo boss Olexij Brecht during the tour. The state-owned company has received more than 300 million euros from international donors for reconstruction and protection measures.

On site, the minister handed over one of seven mobile combined heat and power plants purchased for the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine. “With a mobile system like this, you can go very quickly to where there is destruction and ensure that heat and electricity are available for people,” she said. The system, with an output of 600 kilowatts, is transported by truck and powered by gas.

Schulze put the total amount of winter aid at 90 million euros. This could provide 2.6 million people with electricity and heat. “We notice that here in the cold. It is so important to have these mobile facilities,” she emphasized. The aim is to help Ukrainians maintain their resilience.

Schulze also inspected the repair work at the Ochmatdyt Children’s Hospital, which was damaged by a Russian missile attack. “It’s really inhumane to see how Russia is attacking children’s hospitals here,” the minister told journalists in Kiev. She recalled how important a continuous power supply is for hospitals and pointed out that immediately after the attack in July, Germany provided ten million euros to support hospital operations.

During her previous visit to the hospital’s premature birth department, the minister could hardly hold back her tears at the sight of a premature baby from the border region of Sumy. “If you really want to understand the cruelty of this war, then you can see this,” said Schulze, visibly moved. It is frightening for them that newborns have to be protected from attacks with sandbags.

The number of premature babies has increased by 30 percent since the beginning of the war, said the medical director of the children’s clinic, Tetyana Ivanova. “The smallest premature baby weighed 600 grams,” she told the minister.

On July 8, a Russian missile destroyed a hospital building. Surrounding facilities were severely damaged by the pressure wave. Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with Western help for more than two and a half years.