You're reading: PACE rapporteur for humanitarian issues to visit Kyiv and Kharkiv

STRASBOURG - PACE Rapporteur on the Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine Jim Sheridan will visit Ukrainian cities to clear up the situation with internally displaced persons (IDPs), who had to leave their homes in country's warring east and in annexed Crimea.

The visit is scheduled for Nov. 17-18, a PACE press service reported.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 454,000 IDPs were registered in Ukraine as of Nov. 7, of whom 435,000 came from Donbas and 19,000 – from Crimea. However, according to expert assessments, the actual number of refugees might be 2-3 times higher.

During the visit, the rapporteur is to meet with the representatives of the State Emergency Service and local authorities in Kharkiv region responsible for the work with IDPs, as well as with the representatives of the local NGOs.

Besides, Sheridan will visit the center for refugees’ registration and placement.

In Kyiv, Sheridan plans to meet with the representatives of the central government agencies, including Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, members of Ukrainian delegation to PACE, representatives of international community and NGOs.

In addition, through December 8-10 the rapporteur will travel to Russia since it also gave a refuge to a number of people from Ukraine’s east.

The PACE will table a report on the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine at its session in late January 2015.