Support of the Confederation for the people affected by the war in Ukraine

Since the outbreak of the war, the Swiss Confederation has transported over 1,400 tonnes of relief supplies from Switzerland to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries, including medical equipment, generators and winter clothing. It has also purchased over 4,765 tonnes of essential foodstuffs to support the population. Switzerland has since made further urgently needed deliveries to those affected by the war, including 25 ambulances and 13 fire engines. The next transport for Ukraine in spring 2024 will provide firefighting equipment, spare parts for fire engines, and vaccination kits for children and adults.

Switzerland is supporting humanitarian mine action by organisations such as the Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD) to help clear areas of mines and unexploded ordnance and to disarm these munitions if necessary. This is vital in ensuring people can safely return to their homes, farm their land, repair destroyed infrastructure and access humanitarian aid, and makes humanitarian mine action fundamental to the rebuilding of Ukraine. Switzerland is also working closely with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), for example on the strategic planning of Ukraine’s mine action programme.

As a result of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, millions of citizens have been displaced within Ukraine or to third countries. Government employees are among the refugees in a number of regions. The attacks have made it harder for people to access public services and exercise their democratic rights. Switzerland has for some time supported the digitalisation of services and implementation of reforms via the project E-Governance for Accountability and Participation. This ensures Ukrainians can continue to access key services during the war, for example requesting digital ID cards and registering births and new companies.

Many displaced people have made their way to Lviv since the war began, and a large number of companies have also been relocated there. The city’s public transport network is becoming increasingly important, and part of its tram fleet also needs to be replaced. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is therefore preparing the transport to Lviv in summer 2024 of eleven decommissioned low-floor trams from Bern’s public transport operator. To ensure the trams can be independently operated and maintained there, SECO is funding a training placement in Bern this spring for public transport workers from Lviv. The project also comprises a study on the modernisation of the traffic management centre and an evaluation of ways to modernise the tram network.

Switzerland is supporting a number of Ukrainian cities with structural and spatial development, working in Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Poltava, Lviv, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Melitopol, Mykolaiv and the Podil district of Kyiv. Since February 2022, the project has focused on reconstruction and urban planning, as well as helping cities to manage the influx of internally displaced persons and the resulting pressures on the public sector, infrastructure and utilities.

Learning what happened to missing persons is an essential requirement for strengthening society and achieving lasting peace. That is why Switzerland is working to help locate and identify missing persons in Ukraine. It has provided the Ukrainian authorities with computer equipment and materials for conducting DNA analysis to enable the rapid identification of mortal remains. This support has also made it possible to open 18 regional offices that coordinate the location and identification of missing persons. Switzerland is also co-financing the activities of the ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency for the war in Ukraine.