A meeting of the Stanislav Territorial Community working group recently took place, attended by representatives of local authorities, starostats (local administrative units), municipal utility companies, the local fire service, and the Union foundation. Participants discussed the current security situation, logistical challenges, and the status of essential services in the settlements, subsequently compiling a list of the community's urgent needs.
Security Situation and Key Challenges
Meeting participants noted that the security situation in the community remains extremely dire and continues to deteriorate. Settlements suffer daily from artillery shelling and enemy drone strikes.
Approximately 500 residents remain in the community (roughly 5% of the pre-war population)—mostly elderly individuals who have not left due to a lack of financial means and the absence of alternative housing.
Constant shelling has completely destroyed or damaged medical facilities; the community faces an acute shortage of personnel and frequent disruptions to mobile network coverage. Delivering humanitarian aid and evacuating people involves immense risk to life.
Update on Safety Kits and Fire Extinguishers
The Union Foundation, with support of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) within the Kherson Consortium for Territorial Resource Allocation (ABA), which the DRC implements together with Acted and Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), with the support of the Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine (UHF), plans to distribute 100 safety kits to the community. These kits include fire extinguishers, power banks, flashlights, first-aid kits with tourniquets, whistles, and informational materials on first aid and equipment use. Due to extremely high demand in frontline regions and shelling affecting manufacturing plants, there have been delays in the delivery of fire extinguishers; however, the shipment is expected to arrive in mid-October.
Given the challenging security situation, the following urgent community needs were identified during a working group meeting:
- Charging devices and generators of various capacities.
- Starlink internet stations, as well as encrypted, long-range Motorola two-way radios to coordinate the work of utility crews, local fire response teams, and residents.
- Portable gas stoves for households.
- Over-the-counter medications for residents of villages lacking pharmacies and medical personnel.
- Cargo trailers, as well as lightweight, maneuverable motorcycles for servicing generators located outside the villages.
Despite daily shelling and extremely difficult conditions, the leadership of the Stanislav community, utility services, and international partners continue to coordinate their efforts to provide residents with essential supplies and prepare the community for the challenges of the winter season.
As a reminder, the Working Group of Public Safety and Recovery was established in the community in 2023 as an advisory body to the military administration; since then, its members have implemented several initiatives to strengthen public safety. Our Foundation acts as the coordinator for the network of working groups in the Kherson region.
