Ukraine’s Three Years of Conflict: Civilians are the First Victims of this Devastating War

Three years after the escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the whole country is still under bombardment, and the number of civilian victims continues to rise. HI, which has been present in Ukraine since February 2022, is relentlessly assisting people affected by the war.  

Since 2022, the organization has supported 208,139 people.

HI strongly condemns the repeated and ongoing damage to civilian infrastructure and calls on the parties involved in the conflict to take all possible measures to protect civilians.  

Nearly 40,000 Victims Since 2022 

Today, many regions, particularly in the east and south of the country, are prey to constant and intense hostilities. Whole swathes of the country are still virtually cut off from the rest of the world, and it is difficult for them to access basic needs such as water, food, and healthcare.  

The massive destruction of civilian infrastructure has deprived people of their livelihoods and homes. Many people live in damaged homes, without protection from attacks or the extremely harsh winter conditions at this time of year.  

In addition to forcing 3.5 million people to flee inside the country, the conflict has claimed almost 40,000 civilian victims since 2022, including more than 12,000 dead and 27,000 wounded. 

These are men, women, children, and the elderly who lived close to the front line, caught up in the fighting while at home or on their way home from work, and fell victim to a bombardment. The physical injuries are severe, with some people amputated and losing all their independence and autonomy. The psychological traumas are equally severe.  

63-year-old Anatoly, a survivor of an air strike in the Donetsk region in April 2024, says, "It was two years after the escalation of the war and two days after my daughter's wedding. I was outside in the courtyard, and Tatyana called me to dinner. At the same time, there was a massive explosion. I was thrown against the wall of our house.” He continues, "The damage to my legs was terrible - I was bleeding profusely and in horrible pain. There were body parts everywhere. In a matter of minutes, my wife and I had to evacuate, leaving behind all our belongings and our whole lives.” 

In Ukraine, Everyone is Affected by War

Mental health and psychosocial support have been identified as priority needs for conflict-affected populations and people who respond to the crisis, such as healthcare workers. Nearly 10 million people in Ukraine are likely to develop mental disorders and 3.9 million will suffer from moderate to severe disorders. 

Victoria Perez, a mental health specialist for HI in Ukraine, explains, "Everyone in Ukraine is impacted by war in one way or another. Air raid alarms and shellfire can be extremely frightening and stressful and can keep people on constant alert. Many people have family members or acquaintances who live or work close to the front line or are in an area close to the front line. Civilians are constantly worried about their safety and that of their loved ones. One of the things we hear most often in the field is a deep sense of uncertainty about the future. This is a source of stress for many people, who feel that they can't plan for the future and that even their current situation could be jeopardized."  

More than 200,000 people have been supported by HI since 2022 

For the past three years, HI has been mobilizing its teams on the ground to provide inclusive humanitarian aid to people affected by war. This includes:  

• Identifying the needs of explosive weapons survivors and referring them to other services within the organization for rehabilitation or psychological support. When the organization cannot meet their needs, HI refers them to other local and international humanitarian actors.  
• Strengthening access to quality physical and functional rehabilitation, mental health, and psychosocial support services, particularly for people with disabilities, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals.  
• Providing financial support to people impacted by the war, people with disabilities, and vulnerable households affected by the conflict so that they can cover their basic needs. 
• Raising awareness among civilians and other humanitarian actors of the dangers of explosive remnants of war and shelling, particularly in areas that are difficult to access or that have once again come under Ukrainian control. 
• Facilitating the rapid delivery of humanitarian goods to conflict-affected populations through shared storage and transport services.  

HI has active bases in the Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv regions, an office in Poltava, and its headquarters in Kyiv. Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine, HI has supported 208,139 people. 

To support HI's work in Ukraine, donations can be made here.