Abstract: The article deals with the problems of formation and functioning of the UN humanitarian system. The author argues that the crisis is not related to the growing gap between funding needs and the amount of donor funds placed at the disposal of the UN, but to the fact that the humanitarian community, which the UN claims to be in charge of, does not represent an integral organism with a clearly defined control center. The Organization's attempts to build a system for coordinating the efforts of the world community to support the affected countries and help people in need and danger ended in failure. At present, the role of the UN is reduced to the performance of two interrelated functions: a channel for bringing donor funds to secondary recipients and a gatekeeper that determines who can be attributed to the humanitarian community, what type of activity deserves to be called humanitarian. In this regard, the author notes, the position of Russia raises questions when strategic planning documents and regulations governing the process of providing humanitarian assistance state that Russia is part of the global humanitarian system. The author suggests that efforts are needed to expose the essence of the existing humanitarian system and offer an alternative that will promote and realize Russia's national interests.