Praise for Red Cross’ Ukraine contributions

The Citizen’s Commissioner Panayiotis Senontas has thanked the Cyprus Red Cross for its contribution to two major humanitarian aid missions in Ukraine.

Speaking on Monday at the Red Cross headquarters, Senontas also commended the organisation for the support provided to Ukrainian refugees in Cyprus who had to flee their country after the Russian invasion.

“Once again, the Cyprus Red Cross has proved just how valuable it is in such situations,” Senontas said.

“Its support for people in need is reflected not only through the provision of humanitarian aid, but also through all its multifaceted actions, which always aim to alleviate human suffering and protect human dignity.”

Sentontas said the government would always support the organisation whatever its needs.

Speaking after Senontas, the director of the Cyprus Red Cross Fotini Papadopoulou said her organisation was ready to act immediately after the invasion.

“Our first action, symbolic and substantial, was to immediately contact the Ukrainian Red Cross, as well as the ambassador of Ukraine in Cyprus, to whom we conveyed our full support and readiness to provide aid to the people of Ukraine,” she said.

“At the same time, we started coordinating our aid with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations in order to provide assistance as fast and efficiently as possible.”

Papadopoulou said her organisation has dispatched over 2,500 personal hygiene kits to Ukraine in two separate shipments, in cooperation with the government and private companies that decided to contribute to the donations.

Moreover, the Cyprus Red Cross has also offered humanitarian aid to a total of 232 refugees in Cyprus divided among the Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos districts.

Aid included food, coupons for supermarkets, clothing, shoes, hygiene kits, baby diapers, toys, blankets, sheets, kitchen items and furniture.