Residents of Kharkiv queue to receive food aid

A group of neighbours stood in line under their apartment block on Thursday as they waited to receive their share of the aid delivered by the Red Cross earlier in the morning.

About half of the population in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, have left. For those who stayed finding food and essential items is not always easy or even possible.

Ukrainian Red Cross and other volunteer organisations try to distribute aid to those who cannot reach a market.

Behind those who waited in line, there are many more who could not go out of their home, either sick or too old, resident Hanna Spitsyna told the Associated Press.

Spitsyna, 42, was helping to distribute the aid among her neighbours, who waited patiently.

"All these people need diapers, swaddle blankets and food," Spitsyna said as sound of explosions echoed from the northern edge of the city where Russian and Ukrainian forces traded artillery fire.

She reckons about 30% of those living in the same block have left, mostly the younger ones.

Aid does not come regularly, she said. The last time they received some, was seven days ago.

Spitsyna said she called herself several organisations before finally receiving it from the Ukrainian Red Cross. She doesn't know when the next aid will come.

Kharkiv was besieged by Russian forces since the start of the invasion and has come under a relentless barrage since then.

Image: AP