UN considers underground storage for Ukraine aid as it seeks to protect supplies
He said the organization is considering moving humanitarian supplies into underground bunkers and has recently been delaying purchases until the last possible moment to reduce its exposure to strikes.
According to Schmale, the Russian attacks have increased the financial risks for taxpayers in donor countries whose contributions fund humanitarian aid purchases by the UN and other international missions.
Schmale added that the organization's initial 2.3 billion US dollar aid budget for 2026 did not account for these costs.
Background
In early September 2026, a Russian air attack damaged one of the World Health Organization's main warehouses in the Kyiv region, which stored humanitarian medical supplies. Schmale also noted that other Russian strikes had destroyed hygiene kits and school supplies intended for children.
As Rubryka previously reported, UN representative Alexander De Croo warned that the coming winter could be Ukraine's hardest since the start of the full-scale war. He said systematic Russian strikes on energy and critical infrastructure had left the country entering winter in a "very weak position," with damage to facilities threatening disruptions to heating, water supplies, and sewage services.
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16 of September 2026
