00:00Let's bring in Scott Craig. Scott's with the International Federation of the Red Cross joining us live from Kiev.
00:05Scott, thanks for being with us. I'm tempted to start by asking how you're getting on because clearly with what
00:10we've been seeing from our reports
00:12and what we've been reporting on since the beginning of the war, we know that life in Kiev can be
00:16incredibly difficult,
00:17even though right now it is far from the front lines. Tell us about the move there today.
00:23Thanks, Mark. Thanks a lot for having me. And thanks to you and all the team at France for continuing
00:29to shine a light on the human toll of this conflict.
00:32The simple answer to your question is life is really difficult for people in Kiev and across the country.
00:39Today is obviously a special day, four years of the conflict.
00:45But the reality is the situation for many, if not most people in the country is the hardest now that
00:52it's ever been.
00:53The energy system is offline for most of the time.
00:57Most of the people and businesses are running off of generators.
01:01But you can't run the country and the city off of generators.
01:06And it creates a huge human misery for people.
01:10We saw in your report there the warming centres and tents.
01:17We at the Red Cross are running these centres.
01:20People are coming. I was there at the weekend talking to people.
01:24And it's a really useful lifeline in the community for people, obviously, to warm up and get a hot meal.
01:31But they were telling us as well, I was speaking with one older lady.
01:35She was saying it's become important to her because it helps to also combat the social isolation and the loneliness.
01:42You can imagine, especially for older people being in blocks and flats, not only are they scared about attacks,
01:49but actually they're becoming increasingly lonely and isolated as well.
01:52So it's a pretty difficult situation for people.
01:57It is getting a little bit warmer here.
02:00I think the weather has turned.
02:01Some of the snow and ice are starting to melt, at least in here.
02:04And so I think that is a glimmer of hope, at least in the situation for people at the moment.
02:09So that fact that the temperature is rising, perhaps there's signs of spring coming, maybe giving some kind of hope.
02:17But nonetheless, there is this nightly threat, isn't there, of the drones, of the missiles that are falling all around?
02:26Absolutely.
02:28And, you know, that is a constant threat.
02:32One of the other things I was out seeing at the weekend with the Ukrainian Red Cross,
02:37I went out with some of their emergency response teams.
02:41These are teams that go out to sites in the aftermath of attacks in order to do search and rescue
02:47and provide first aid.
02:49They took me to a site of an attack that had taken place some months before so that the site
02:55was secure.
02:56But you really got a sense of the complete devastation to the building.
03:02And obviously these attacks, the threat of attacks, are ever-present.
03:08And also for the rescue workers.
03:09I mean, one of the things that really struck me that they said was, you know,
03:14for us two, obviously, we're terrified to come out and do this.
03:25But we do, because we have to, we do, as you say, it's pretty ever-present.
03:34We appear to have lost our sound link with Scott Craig of the International Federation of the Red Cross.
03:41I will try one more question to you, Scott.
03:43We were hearing you talking about the effect on people, the effect on your own operatives, of course,
03:49who are putting their lives at risk to do what many would see as an essential humanitarian role.
03:55And one would hope that in even the worst of circumstances, humanitarians might be in some way protected.
04:01Is that the case across Ukraine today?
04:08The reality for, and I hope you can hear me, apologies.
04:11We can hear you, carry on.
04:11It's issues with sound.
04:12But I think, you know, what really struck me about the teams I went out with at the weekend was,
04:18they exemplify absolutely the best of the humanitarian spirit and the best of the Red Cross.
04:25You know, putting their lives on the line to go out and help others, people who are volunteering with the
04:31Red Cross in the communities.
04:33There's over 8,000 volunteers in the Ukrainian Red Cross, people helping people in their own communities who themselves are
04:42living through the same conditions.
04:43I think that absolutely embodies the spirits and the value of humanitarian work.
04:50But there is no doubt about it.
04:52Humanitarian work in Ukraine and around the world actually is increasingly dangerous.
05:00You know, outside of Ukraine, last year, 2024, was the deadliest, 2025, rather, was the deadliest year on record for
05:08humanitarian workers around the world.
05:11And so here in Ukraine, absolutely humanitarian work is risky and dangerous, but they're doing it and they're out there
05:20every day trying to help their communities.
05:22And that absolutely is the best of the Red Cross spirit.
05:26What is the most essential service that you're hoping to provide for people, say, for instance, this evening, tomorrow morning?
05:33You mentioned about food and obviously about the generators.
05:36Is that what it adds up to in realistic terms?
05:42I think power is obviously the thing that's the biggest need at the moment.
05:47So generators is a big one.
05:49The community hubs that you were showing where people are going to warm up and get hot meals, I think
05:55that's another big one.
05:56People in frontline areas and internally displaced people, there's nearly 4 million internally displaced Ukrainians.
06:05For them, shelter is the biggest need, whether that's repairs to damaged homes or temporary shelters, which we've been setting
06:14up with the Ukrainian Red Cross as well.
06:16So I think shelter is another big one.
06:19And then I think longer term, the psychological toll of this and the mental health needs are also pretty high.
06:28One thing that we've been also providing in those hubs is we call it psychological first aid.
06:34So first aiders who are going in, counsellors who are going in to try and provide emergency psychological help for
06:44people in the temporary tents and the shelters as well.
06:48But mental health, that's the sticking plaster.
06:51Clearly mental health needs longer term are going to be skyrocketing as well.
06:55And so I think that's a big need going forward.
06:58Scott Craig, thank you for joining us on this fourth anniversary of the war.
07:02Stay safe.
07:02I remind people you talked to us from Kyiv.
07:04You too are at risk from the air raids which will be sent by Russia this evening.
07:09Drones, missiles that will be fired.
07:11And you're there too with all your team equally at risk.
07:14So stay safe and well done for the work that you are carrying out there, essential work to help Ukrainian
07:22people in need.
07:23Scott Craig of the International Federation of the Red Cross.
07:26Thank you for joining us live from Kyiv.
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