Paris [France], March 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced the start of a fundraising campaign to provide aid to the Ukrainian people, assessing the urgent needs at the level of 400 million euros (over $441 million), Deputy Regional Director UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia Philippe Cori said.

"The situation is serious, we need to mobilize the team, with the Ukrainians having more and more difficulties to get access to aid," Cori told the BFMTV broadcaster.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine ‘War’: Tasks of Ukraine ‘Special Operation’ Will Be Completed in Any Case; Vladimir Putin to Emmanuel Macron.

Last week, Russia launched a special operation after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested assistance to defend themselves from ongoing attacks by the Ukrainian troops.

The Western countries have strongly condemned the Russian military operation and boosted the sanctions pressure on Moscow. (ANI/Sputnik)

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine ‘War’: Ukraine Destroys Columns of Russian Troops, Says Defense Ministry.

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