‘Dig deep this Christmas’: Boris Johnson launches appeal to send medical supplies to Ukraine

Boris Johnson has launched a Christmas appeal for vital medical supplies to be sent to Ukrainian hospitals.

Speaking on Friday at a warehouse in Enfield, Mr Johnson was told that without donations, hospitals in Ukraine could run out of vital items such as bandages and defibrillators within weeks.

In order to aid Ukraine, Mr Johnson has teamed up with Circle Health, the UKs largest hospital group which has delivered up to £3million-worth of medical supplies to the war-torn country.

“The great British public are renowned for their generosity of spirit - even when times are tough at home - so I’m calling on them to dig deep this Christmas and help send hope to the heroic Ukrainian medics battling to save lives by supporting Circle Health’s vital humanitarian mission,” he said.

“Not one bandage or bed you fund will go to waste in the Herculean task of rebuilding beautiful, brave Ukraine. Slava Ukraini: the British people stand with you, this Christmas and always.”

Circle Health has been working with doctors from Ukraine in order to keep them up to date with equipment shortages.

Items are then gathered from the organisation’s 53 hospitals across the UK and driven by volunteers to Ukraine.

During his visit, Mr Johnson was briefed by Ukrainian doctors on the relief efforts and helped load the latest supplies as he encouraged Britons to come to the country’s aid.

Professor Rostyslav Smachylo, a specialist hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon from Kharkiv, said: "We are seeing increasing numbers of elderly people who stayed in the city but have been injured as a result of the violence taking place around them.

"We lack a lot of equipment needed to cope with the volume of patients we are seeing with particularly complex injuries and conditions.

“The hospital has also seen windows blown out and structural damage. Knowing that we have allies in Britain and the support of the British stiffens our resolve - we are incredibly grateful, and we ask that you don’t forget us."