Turkey has sent 13 trucks of humanitarian aid material to Ukraine so far, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) head said Wednesday, adding that they will continue humanitarian aid operations along the southwestern route to Ukraine, both in Moldova and Romania and in Ukraine.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Kınık underlined that they have been in contact with the national societies of all parties since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. He stated that the teams and aid materials first passed into Ukraine via Romania.

Explaining on the map the areas where Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) teams carry out humanitarian aid activities, Kınık said: "Our teams have now established two centers both in the town of Siret on the Romanian border and in the Chernivtsi region in Ukraine. Through these centers, we can deliver our aid to Ukraine by land via Bulgaria-Romania."

Stressing that they provide humanitarian support to the Romanian and Ukrainian Red Cross on the ground, Kınık stated that the Turkish Red Crescent is also preparing the humanitarian aid convoy to set out for Moldova against the influx of migration caused by the clashes in Odessa.

Expressing that the Turkish Red Crescent carries out humanitarian aid operations as a member of the International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross Associations, Kınık said: "We will continue our humanitarian aid operations in the southwestern line of Ukraine, both in Moldova and Romania and in Ukraine. In the future, we will also send containers from our disaster shelter systems factory in Malatya, plus shelter equipment to accommodate people in case they stay on the streets, depending on the need."

Underlining the fact that nearly 2 million people have left Ukraine, Kınık said: "So far, we have sent 13 trucks of humanitarian aid to Ukraine."

Explaining that the humanitarian aid materials arrived at the humanitarian aid logistics center located in Chernivtsi and were distributed to the needy areas by train or with the internal support of the Ukrainian Red Cross, Kınık also stated that they supported people with mobile soup kitchens and catering vehicles on the Ukrainian and Romanian sides of the border.

Kınık also pointed out that humanitarian support was provided in the Kapıkule border gate for those who came to Turkey.

Efforts of humanitarian actors

Underlining that they are also working to sustain and provide support to the Ukrainian Red Cross, which is the only element that can carry out a humanitarian aid operation throughout the country, Kınık drew attention to the long-term damage caused by the war on people.

"We are working as humanitarian actors on the ground to ensure that civilians are minimally affected by this process and that the wounds that will occur do not deepen," Kınık said, emphasizing that the Turkish Red Crescent and other humanitarian organizations are doing their best.

"At the moment, we are talking about a large population that cannot go to work or school and cannot receive protection from the state. It is not possible to recover this work and provide protection without international assistance."

Emphasizing that the Turkish Red Crescent provides aid to all people in need, regardless of religion, language or race, Kınık reiterated that an aid campaign was launched for people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Expressing that they are striving to deliver aid, which is an indicator of the benevolence of citizens, to those in need as quickly as possible, Kınık said: "Through our campaign, our citizens can donate their aid in items and in cash. The Red Crescent is able to take the aid into Ukraine. With its own personnel, logistics centers, vehicles and distribution networks it has established with its stakeholders, it can reach those in need within Ukraine. At the moment, there are needs such as food materials, medicine, baby food, women's hygiene needs, tents."

Kınık also made assessments about whether an intense refugee transit is expected to Turkey via Ukraine and stated that third-country nationals currently living in Ukraine, mainly workers and students, prefer Turkey as a transit country due to the closed airspace.

Noting that there are people from Crimean Tatar and Turkish communities coming to Turkey due to their kinship relations, Kınık said that due to the protection status granted by the European Union and common cultural values, migration is mostly directed to EU lands.

"We do not think that there will be a very large wave that may head towards Turkey," he added.

Turkish hospital

The field hospital, which was established by Ministry of Health officials for the health screening of Turkish citizens evacuated on the Romanian-Ukrainian border, became a health center that heals Ukrainian war victims.

The hospital, consisting of two tents, was established in five hours by the officials at the Siret Border Gate in Suceava, Romania, at the Ukrainian border, for the purpose of health screening of the evacuated Turkish citizens and the treatment of those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Many Ukrainians who were forced to migrate were treated at the hospital, which extended the hand of compassion to the victims of war who reached the border after a journey of 35-40 hours by train and bus. The field hospital continued to operate for seven days.

Turkish citizens continued their journey after undergoing a health screening at the hospital.

Emrah Arı, the doctor in charge of the hospital, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that two emergency medicine specialists, two emergency medical technicians and six assistant health personnel are on duty.