Ukraine and the hardships

JDC's President Penny Blumenstein wrote a good letter to the New York Times the other day about the situation in Ukraine. You can read it here. What I think was most striking was her comment that the economic side of the crisis is a whole other area that people aren't thinking about.

My colleagues in Ukraine continue their inspiring and life-saving work. Some of the general macro-economic updates are worth noting here:

-          Since the beginning of February through the beginning of April 2014, the price for 95 octane gas has increased by 20%.

-          Price surveys for the 25 most frequently purchased medicines (in Kiev) have increased in a range of 7% - 71% since mid-January and the end of March.

-          A survey of the mostly purchased food stuffs shows the following increases:  (cooking) oil - 22%; rice - 20%; chicken - 43%; flour - 20%; beets - 23%; cabbage - 55%; potatoes - 19%; sour cream - 25%; milk, cheese and eggs - 7%; sugar and tea - 12%.

-          Increases in energy costs are being reported.

-          Layoffs and redundancies throughout Ukraine are growing.

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