Ljubljana - UNICEF Slovenija has sent emergency aid worth more than EUR 400,000 for children and families to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries in the past week. The organisation is also providing assistance at the refugee accommodation centre in Logatec, UNICEF said.

"Thanks to the solidarity and compassion of donors from Slovenia, many families from Ukraine will also remember the painful days they are experiencing for solidarity," UNICEF Slovenija director Tomaž Bergoč said.

The needs on the ground are great and they continue to collect aid, he noted. "Every donation counts, for example EUR 40 can provide one family with emergency aid in the form of water and sanitation and hygiene supplies," he added.

Since 17 March, UNICEF has sent 85 lorries delivering a total of 858 tonnes of aid for children and families in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries. The emergency supplies include blankets and winter clothing for children, medical supplies and hygiene, educational and recreational supplies for children and youths, noted UNICEF Slovenija.

Since the Russian invasion began less than a month ago, more than 1.5 million children have fled Ukraine. More than 100 children from Ukraine are currently being accommodated at the refugee centre in Logatec, south-west of Ljubljana.

In cooperation with partner organisations, UNICEF Slovenija is helping there as well, providing activities for children who are going through or have gone through difficult experiences, which can cause psychological trauma, UNICEF's press release reads.