OREANDA-NEWS. On 14 August 2014, the press-studio of Segodnya Multimedia has held a press briefing of Rimma Fil, a Coordinator of the Humanitarian Centre “Here to Help” of Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation.

As announced at the briefing, Rinat Akhmetov decided to launch a large humanitarian aid line to Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts. The oblasts will receive food (around 6,000 tonnes), personal hygiene products, baby food and medicines. Rinat Akhmetov instructed the Humanitarian Centre to deliver not less than 10,000 tonnes of the humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts.

The humanitarian drive will head in tranches from the nearby oblasts to the specially organised transit terminals in Donetsk oblast, from where the smaller batches will go to oblast's towns and districts, which urgently need help. The columns of 100 trucks able to carry up to two thousand tonnes per trip will be delivering the humanitarian freight.

The first package is now being formed and will depart to Donetsk oblast approximately on 20 August.

Rimma Fil, Coordinator of the Humanitarian Centre of Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation: “On 6 August, as initiated by Rinat Akhmetov, we created the Humanitarian Centre that has consolidated all the resources of Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation and the SCM Group's businesses to help Donbass residents affected by the hostilities. Donbass is not on the verge of a real humanitarian disaster any longer, it passed it. Different estimates say that one to three million people are still in the battle areas. Neither Ukrainian nor international organisations have more accurate information. People have no water, food, medicines and hygiene products, no money to buy it in those few stores and pharmacies that are still open. Around 60-70% of residents, which is at least 600-700 thousand people, need constant humanitarian aid. Rinat Akhmetov understands that and so instructed the Centre to deliver 10,000 tonnes of the humanitarian aid and make sure that each and everyone in trouble receives it. The first package will depart next week. We will cooperate with local authorities, NGOs and international organisations, with everybody who can assist in delivering aid to the people in need.”

The Humanitarian Centre “Here to Help” of Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation has four missions: evacuating people from the battle areas, accommodating the displaced individuals, providing humanitarian aid and rendering targeted help.

As of today, the Centre, Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation and SCM Group's businesses have evacuated over 15,000 people from the areas of the armed conflict including over 7,000 children. In particular, 5,700 people have been accommodated - 1,150 at recreation facilities of SCM Group and 4,550 at other places. Around 30,000 people received the humanitarian aid directly in the battle areas.