Lviv's Caritas Warehouse Targeted in Drone Assault: Bishop Decries the Attack on Vulnerable Populations

The recent drone strike on a Caritas warehouse in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, has been sharply criticized by church officials. Bishop Edward Kawa, the Auxiliary Bishop of Lviv, strongly characterised the event on 19 September, remarking it as "an attack on the poorest and most needy".

Bishop Edward Kawa. (Credit: Ismael Martínez Sánchez / Aid to the Church in Need)

The aftermath of the strike revealed the devastation to the warehouse of the charity "Caritas-Spes." The bishop, in conversation with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), said, "All the relief goods which were stored there should have gone to Kharkiv and Pavlograd in the following days."

The destroyed resources included a substantial 300 tonnes of relief goods. This substantial aid, donated by entities like the Vatican and the Polish initiative "Packages for Ukraine", comprised 15 truckloads of essentials like food, footwear, and winter clothing. The strike obliterated over 100 crucial emergency generators intended to provide power and heating solutions.

However, Bishop Kawa pointed out the only consoling note amidst the calamity – four trucks had fortunately departed from the warehouse two days prior, transporting relief materials to Zaporizhzhia. Addressing ACN's supporters, the auxiliary bishop emphasised the nation's continuing challenges: "Winter is coming, and the war is not over. God bless you."

People receiving aid by Caritas volunteers. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

Since the onset of the Ukrainian conflict, ACN has been a beacon of hope, backing the local Catholic Church across rites with over 350 projects. With an investment exceeding 15 million euros, the primary aim has been to bolster the local Church in its mission to serve and ensure the spiritual and material well-being of Ukrainians through the dedication of priests, religious sisters, and community members.