Since 24 February 2022, when the Russia began its full-scale attack on Ukraine, the Riga Municipality has provided continuous and extensive support to Ukraine in its fight against the invaders and still continues to provide support to Ukrainian civilians coming to Riga as refugees.
On 26 February, the Riga City Council adopted a number of draft decisions providing for substantial municipal support for Ukraine. EUR 70 000 is granted for the purchase of technical support equipment for the establishment of a support and rehabilitation centre for soldiers and their families in Kyiv. The centre will provide rehabilitation opportunities for soldiers and their families, social and psychological assistance for veterans and their families, and for civilians who have been affected by the war.
The Riga City Council also approved a decision to allocate EUR 100 000 to host 100 children and youth from Chernihiv region in Riga to provide them with nine days of educational and recreational activities to regain their strength and improve their health.
The deputies also approved a decision to transfer 93 units of computer equipment to the association “Ukrainian-Latvian Science and Education, Sports and Culture Centre Volia.lv”, as well as a donation of EUR 100 000 to the association “TEV” to support the installation and renovation of shelters in educational institutions in the Chernihiv region in Ukraine.
The decision to allocate EUR 105 000 for psychological assistance camps for Ukrainian children and their parents, in cooperation with the Children's Hospital Foundation, was also approved. Three camps will be organised this year. Similarly to last year, all camps will be organised in partnership with “Okhmatdyt”, the largest children's hospital in Ukraine. This year, the camps will host children from Ukraine who have been physically injured or have lost one or both parents as a result of the war. One of the camps is for children registered in the territory of the Rubizhne Military Administration.
“Riga's support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people has been strong from the first day of the war and will remain so until Ukraine's complete victory over the aggressor, because we have no right to be tired of war. At the same time, security in the current geopolitical environment is the responsibility of all of us, which is why I have instructed the Riga Chief Executive Officer and the Head of the Finance Department of Riga City Council to allocate 5% of the city budget for security and defence, which is primarily civil protection in the municipality, when planning next year's Riga budget,” said Vilnis Ķirsis, Chairperson of the Riga City Council.
“For three years, Riga has been and will be standing with Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and independence. During this time, the Ukrainian people have shown their strength, courage and determination to be owners of their own land. The rest of the world can learn perseverance from the Ukrainians. Now the aggressor is looking for ways to avoid the defeat, but I believe that the strength and perseverance of the Ukrainians will not allow them to prevail. Riga has provided support both at the front and in their towns, by donating buses, computers, cars, generators, water purification equipment and items donated by the residents of Riga, and civilians who have also sought refuge in our city, by establishing a support centre for Ukrainian residents and a long-term accommodation facility on Ūnijas Street. We believe in Ukraine's victory and will continue to stand by it until its full freedom,” says Edvards Ratnieks, Vice-Mayor of Riga.
“From my part, I would like to underline that when we support Ukraine, we always get something back. When we sent urgently needed water treatment equipment to Kherson, it was manufactured and supplied by a Latvian company. That means we are now better prepared for similar situations. We have established close relations with the City of Kyiv, Chernihiv region and Rubizhne Military Administration and received valuable knowledge from them on how to better prepare the civil protection system of Riga City Council for the X-hour. Supporting Ukraine in this way also means supporting ourselves,” said Linda Ozola, Vice-Mayor of Riga.
For three years now, Riga City Council and municipal capital companies have provided a wide range of assistance to Ukraine and its residents - 31 public transport buses filled with donations from Riga residents, 43 cars, 265 units of computer equipment for schools, 127 generators, 100 heat blowers, medical and water purification equipment have been donated, including assistance for rehabilitation of children in Riga, support for soldiers and their families in Kyiv, shelter in Chernihiv.
In 2022, a support centre for Ukrainian residents was established at the Congress House in Riga to make the services provided by the municipality to Ukrainian civilians who have come to seek asylum available in one place. The support centre is currently located at 9 Pāles Street. The residential building at 49 Ūnijas Street, intended for the long-term accommodation of Ukrainian civilians, has also been renovated.
In cooperation with the Children's Hospital Foundation, two psychological assistance camps for Ukrainian children and their parents have been organised since 2024. In 2022, two municipally organised summer day camps in Riga for Ukrainian children and youth with 150 participants. Since 2022, a total of 2,248 participants have taken part in 58 state-funded camps for Ukrainian and Latvian children and youth, organised by local education institutions. In 2023 and 2024, 201 children and youth from Chernihiv were welcomed in Riga, giving them the opportunity to regain their strength and improve their health through educational and recreational activities.
In 2022, Riga City Council has allocated around one million euro to support Ukrainians and donated EUR 200 000 to restore the water supply in the Ukrainian town of Mykolaiv. In 2023, Riga City Council allocated EUR 1.16 million to support Ukrainians, and EUR 300 000 were paid out in donations. And in 2024, EUR 624 956 and EUR 70 000 in donations.
For more information on all Riga's support to Ukraine to date, please click here.
Riga stands united with Ukraine in its fight against a full-scale Russian invasion and will continue to provide the necessary support until the victory of Ukraine.
Information was prepared by: Sabīne Solovjeva, Project Coordinator for External Communications Department of Riga City Council Communication Administration, email: sabine.solovjeva@riga.lv.
