Report on church relief aid to people affected by hostilities in Kursk and Belgorod regions as of 23rd August

DECR Communication Service, 25/08/2024

The Podolsk Diocese has sent 5 tons of humanitarian aid to the Kursk region. Five more tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered from the Bryansk Diocese to the Church Centre for All-Round Social Relief in Kursk on 23^rd August with assistance from the Russian Emergencies Ministry. The Centre has also received 400 food packages and 300 sets of cleaning products from the Church of St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki in Kursk.

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On 23^rd August, 619 people (154 families) applied for help to the Church Centre for All-Round Social Relief located in the Holy Trinity Convent in Kursk. The Centre sent 30 food packages, 4 mattresses, 2 pillows and 12 packages of cleaning products to the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Kurchatov town to be distributed among refugees; nappies, diapers, 6 food packages and bedclothes were sent to the Trinity Church in Belaya Sloboda, Kursk region; and blankets and bedclothes to one of the hospitals in the Kursk region. A driver volunteered to deliver food packages, cleaning products and 2 sets of bedclothes to Pryamitsyno village.

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Since 7^th August, 598 calls (22 calls on 23^rd August) have been made to the hotline of the Synodal Department for Charity (8 800 70 70 222) from the Kursk region.

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Since 6^th August, 502 people (161 families) from the Kursk region and 14 people (5 families) from the Belgorod region have sought assistance at the Moscow Headquarters for Refugee Assistance operating under the Synodal Department for Charity.

Since 6^th August, the Moscow Headquarters has received 1,108 aid deliveries from local churches, monasteries and concerned Muscovites.

On 23^rd August, 36 people (12 families) from the Kursk region applied for help to the Moscow Headquarters for Refugee Assistance. Compared to the previous day, the number of families seeking assistance increased. Almost all of them found temporary accommodation at their relatives’ and friends’ homes. All the families received humanitarian aid (foodstuffs, hygiene and cleaning products). Upon request, pillows, bedclothes, blankets and kitchenware were provided.

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Since 6^th August, 143 people from the Kursk region have sought help at the Church Headquarters for Refugee Assistance in Belgorod, located in Saints Martha and Mary Convent.

On 23^rd August, 69 families applied for humanitarian aid to the church headquarters in Belgorod. Six more families called its hotline. 164 people received foodstuffs, hygiene products, bedclothes, pillows, blankets, kitchenware and clothes.

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On 23^rd August, 1,349 people received aid at the humanitarian aid centre operating under the Kursk Diocese Youth Department. Twelve consignments of humanitarian aid were delivered there. Ninety-four volunteers worked at the centre that day.

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On 23^rd August, a press conference took place at the “Rossiya Segodnya” International Multimedia Press Centre. It focused on relief efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kursk region. Among topics under discussion were activities of the church relief centres in Kursk, the work of volunteers and sisters of mercy in hospitals and temporary accommodation centres, as well as aid collection at all Russian churches and monasteries.

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Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk visited the Church Centre for All-Round Social Relief in the Holy Trinity Convent in Kursk and the humanitarian aid centre at the Kursk Diocese Youth Department. He talked with the staff, volunteers and assistance-seeking families.

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Bishop Paisiy of Zheleznogorsk and Lgov visited a temporary accommodation centre for refugees from border areas in Zheleznogorsk town, Kursk region. He talked with the displaced people, asked them about the needs and addressed them with words of support and consolation. With Bishop Paisiy’s blessing, donations are being collected to buy necessities for the refugees. In addition, the Zheleznogorsk Diocese has allocated 400,000 roubles to assist the displaced persons.

As of today, four temporary accommodation centres are operating in Zheleznogorsk. Priests visit them daily, offering spiritual support to the refugees, diaconia.ru reports.