Millions of lives will be under threat in Ukraine this winter, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.
Ukrainian lives are at risk this winter
10 million people across the war-torn nation are currently without power and half of Ukraine's energy infrastructure is either damaged or destroyed and Dr. Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, fears that deadly months could lie ahead with temperatures set to plummet to as low as -20C in some areas.
Russia have been targeting infrastructure in a change of tactic following setbacks on the battlefield and the losses will be felt keenly during the winter.
Dr. Kluge told a news conference in Kyiv: "Put simply, this winter will be about survival."
He added that Ukraine's health system is "facing the darkest days of the war so far" and the best solution is for the conflict to come to an end.
Dr. Kluge explained that hundreds of hospitals and healthcare facilities were "no longer fully operational, lacking fuel, water and electricity to meet basic needs" as a result of the Russian attacks.
The medic is particularly concerned about the area of Donetsk - which is largely under Russian control - and has called for the "creation of a humanitarian health corridor into all newly regained and occupied areas".
There are also concerns about rising cases of coronavirus.
Dr. Kluge said: "With low basic vaccination rates - let alone boosters - millions of Ukrainians have waning or no immunity to Covid."