Humanitarian partners of Ukraine plan to provide $298 million of aid to target 2.5 million people in Donbas in 2016 under the Humanitarian Response Plan.

"Early funding of this appeal is critical to ensure key benchmarks are met, not least the 2016 planting season, and timely winterization support in early and late 2016," Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Neal Walker said at the presentation of the plant in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He said that the response remains focused on what is a considered a protection crisis for the time-being, with significant shelter, food and water and sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions still critical through 2016.

Walker said that the response remains contingent on the government shouldering its primary responsibility, and on all parties to the conflict providing free and unimpeded access to all people in need - women, girls, boys and men of all ages, wherever they may be.