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What's going on?
On February 24, Russian military forces began an invasion of Ukraine by land, sea and air. Missiles struck several major cities in Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv. Casualties continue to grow as Russian soldiers enter the country. The conflict has been ongoing between Russia and Ukraine since late 2013, with Russia annexing the Crimea peninsula in March 2014.
What is MCC doing?
MCC has worked in Ukraine since our beginnings in 1920, opening soup kitchens to provide relief to thousands of starving families. Our current projects include relief, peace, health and education.
Since the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, MCC has worked with partners to assist internally displaced people (IDPs) and to build peace. The UNHCR reports there are some 1.8 million IDPs and conflict-affected people in Ukraine.
MCC staff outside their home context were evacuated from Ukraine. Staff still in Ukraine are carefully following security protocols and monitoring the rapidly evolving situation. MCC continues to maintain contact with partners and churches. We will update this page as information is available.
What you can do?
- Pray: Please join us as we pray for Ukraine.
- Give: MCC is accepting donations for a response in Ukraine. We are assessing the changing situation with local partners to determine the appropriate response. MCC’s response will be focused on longer-term scale up of existing programs that support vulnerable people and extending those services to internally displaced populations. It will likely include psychosocial support and trauma healing, temporary emergency housing, emergency distributions of locally purchased emergency supplies such as blankets and distribution of food packages.
- Advocate: Send messages to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of International Development calling for peacebuilding efforts alongside development and humanitarian work. Ask for an emphasis on local peacebuilding as an alternative to foreign military interventions and operations.