Director General of the Romanian Red Cross Ioan Silviu Lefter said on Tuesday that a larger group of refugees from Ukraine could arrive in Romania if fighting in the eastern part of Ukraine intensified.

"If fighting intensifies in the eastern part of Ukraine, we are in for a bleak scenario, which would entail a larger group of refugees entering from Ukraine, and that would require us being prepared for such a situation. Even if it were peace tomorrow, Ukraine would still need humanitarian support, because I think a third of the country is down for the count in terms of infrastructure and food and all bare necessities," Lefter told a news conference where he unveiled the outcomes of the "Humanity knows no borders" campaign.

Between February 27 and March 31, the Romanian Red Cross reported total cash donations of 6,748,862 euros, of which 5,402,317 euros from legal entities, 605,981 euros from individuals, and 210,640 euros by text. Online donations amounted to 529,924 euros.

Product donations by legal entities, approximately 2,150 tonnes, reached the amount of 1,533,365 euros, and those from individuals amounted to 230 tonnes. These were collected in the 47 branches of the Romanian Red Cross and consisted of food, personal care products, bedding supplies, baby products, water, animal feed and first aid products.

More than 250,000 people received information, humanitarian assistance and family reunification services at all Romanian border crossings, airports, railway stations and on the A1 motorway.

At the same time, 85,932 people, 40% of whom were children, at the accommodation centres of the public institutions, and especially at private accommodation points, were assisted during this period.

The Romanian Red Cross has opened eight food banks in the counties of Botosani, Cluj, Constanta, Iasi, Maramures, Sibiu, Teleorman, Tulcea, and two are being opened in Salaj and Satu Mare. Ukrainian citizens in Romania can go to these stores to get free bare essentials.

In addition, they are provided hot meals, specialist medical care, psychosocial assistance, financial support for the purchase of medicines and plane or train tickets. Social and educational activities are organised for children, Romanian language and Latin alphabet courses, and assistance for online courses with their teachers in Ukraine are also provided.

More than 7,000 beneficiaries of housing provided by the authorities, other NGOs or private initiatives have received much-needed products from the Red Cross.

The aid was extended to include the remaining civilians in Ukraine, through humanitarian shipments carried out by the National Red Cross Society by 58 lorries carrying 1,450 tonnes of humanitarian supplies. They reached the Chernivtsi, Uzhhorod and Odessa regions, from where they were further distributed with the help of the Ukrainian Red Cross. AGERPRES (RO - author: Mihai Stoica, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)