The United Nations is warning of a dire humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine amidst heavy clashes between Ukrainian and separatist forces. The U.N. refugee agency says fighting near the Russian border has displaced more than 117,000 people, including some 6,000 in the past week. The United Nations’ humanitarian director, John Ging, said the crisis will worsen so long as fighting continues.

John Ging: “Insecurity and violence prevail in conflict areas, resulting in a steady worsening of the humanitarian situation, and this will continue to deteriorate for as long as violence persists. An estimated 3.9 million people live in areas directly affected by violence. Those remaining in the conflict zone face imminent security threats from fighting that is increasingly occurring in more densely populated urban areas. Fighting has caused significant damage to infrastructure, affecting the power and water supplies and access to basic services.”