Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin speaks as the U.N. Security Council meets to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, at the United Nations headquarters. The spread of fighting into Donetsk could result in an alarming escalation in the humanitarian crisis gripping the country鈥檚 easternmost regions. AP
UNITED NATIONS 鈥� A senior U.N. official warned the Security Council at an emergency meeting Tuesday that the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine is steadily worsening as power and water supplies are scarce, homes are destroyed and health workers flee.
John听Ging, director of U.N. humanitarian operations, said that violence, especially in urban areas, will put more people at risk and lead to 鈥渁n increase in the numbers killed鈥� if a political solution can鈥檛 be reached.
鈥淚mmediate action is therefore required to prevent this,鈥� he told council members. To date, 1,367 people, civilians and combatants, have been killed,听Ging听said.
The meeting, requested by Russia, comes after fighting in eastern Ukraine reached the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk. Pro-Russia separatists and government troops on Tuesday exchanged rocket fire in the latest clashes since the two sides began battling in April.
Ukraine and Western countries have accused Moscow of fueling the mutiny with weapons and soldiers, a claim the Russian government has repeatedly denied.
Ukraine鈥檚 deputy ambassador听Oleksandr听Pavlichenko听denied there was a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine but said the humanitarian situation in Donetsk and听Luhansk听is still serious. 鈥淭he situation is manageable by the government of Ukraine, which remains open to cooperation with international partners,鈥� he said.
Ging听said nearly 4 million people living in the region are affected by violence. Water and power supplies have sustained significant damage.
In Donetsk and听Luhansk, the water supply has been cut to a few hours per day, health supplies are running low and an estimated 70 percent of health personnel have fled, he said.
Just over 4,000 people have been wounded in eastern Ukraine since April. About 58,000 people have left since early July, and more than a thousand others are fleeing each day,听Ging听said.
Russia鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador听Vitaly听Churkin听said the situation in the east, particularly in听Luhansk听and Donetsk, is 鈥渄isastrous.鈥� He accused the Ukrainian military of indiscriminate shelling of housing. In many small towns, he said, 80 percent of the houses have been destroyed and hundreds of buildings have collapsed.
Churkin听said Russia wants to send a humanitarian convoy to听Luhansk听and Donetsk under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
U.S. deputy ambassador Rosemary听DiCarlo听questioned whether the humanitarian situation in Ukraine merited an emergency meeting, a view echoed by Rwanda. Britain鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Mark听Lyall听Grant said 鈥渋t is deeply ironic that Russia should call for an emergency meeting of the council to discuss a humanitarian crisis largely of its own creation.鈥�
Fighting across eastern Ukraine has forced more than 285,000 people to flee their homes, according to U.N. figures released Tuesday. The U.N. refugee agency said more than 117,000 have left for other places inside Ukraine, while another 168,000 have crossed into Russia.
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