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Three years of full-scale war: with no respite in sight, aid remains a lifeline for millions of people
"I didn’t want to leave until the very end. A community stands as long as someone lives in it but falls apart when its residents leave. But then my house was destroyed," says Nataliia, 67, showing pictures of the ruins of her home in Rubizhne, Luhansk Region.
Like millions of other Ukrainians over the last three years, Nataliia had no choice but to uproot her life and begin again. She now lives in a collective shelter in Odesa, with support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).
As Ukraine enters the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, an estimated 36 per cent of the population will require humanitarian assistance in 2025.
But despite the danger, humanitarians continue to deliver. Every day, more than 600 organizations – most of them Ukrainian NGOs – demonstrate the resilience and strength of local communities. Their leadership in crisis response is a testament to the power of solidarity and determination, proving that even in the darkest times, help can reach people who need it most.
At the launch of the 2025 Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, ERC Tom Fletcher said: “As humanitarians, we are committed to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Ultimately, we must redouble efforts to bring this war to an end so that the Ukrainian people can build their future with security, justice and opportunity.”
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Three years of full-scale war: with no respite in sight, aid remains a lifeline for millions of people
For thousands of people living near the front line, daily shelling is now an inescapable reality. With homes reduced to rubble and energy infrastructure under constant attack, civilians face Ukraine’s brutal winter with few resources.
As Ukraine enters the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, an estimated 36 per cent of the population will require humanitarian assistance in 2025. Hostilities rage daily along a 2,000-km front line, putting civilians in constant danger.
There has not been a single day without shelling or fighting in the past three years. Hostilities escalated sharply last year; the front line expanded by 15 per cent, particularly in the Kharkiv Region, while violence intensified in the Donetsk and Sumy Regions, triggering even greater humanitarian needs.
Story - 1,000 days of full-scale war in Ukraine: A call for sustained humanitarian aid amid escalating attacks
At the site of the recent attack in Dnipro City, in the east of Ukraine, Anastasiia, a mother of two, stands beside the ruins of a residential building, a haunting reminder of her loss. Three of her neighbours lost their lives that day. The explosion’s blast damaged multiple homes, including her apartment. Anastasiia expresses her deep concern for her children’s safety. With winter rapidly approaching, she worries about keeping her family warm amidst relentless hostilities that disrupt basic services and affect daily lives.
“Every day of the past 1,000 days has been a struggle to protect my children,” Anastasiia says. “I simply want them to feel safe and warm and have a place to call home.”
As the full-scale war marks 1,000 days, hostilities across Ukraine continue to escalate, exacerbating humanitarian needs. Civilian infrastructure has been severely impacted, with those living in damaged or destroyed homes facing growing risks as temperatures plummet.
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, who arrived in Ukraine 100 days ago, regularly visits front-line regions and communities. Most recently, in Dnipro, Nikopol, and Zaporizhzhia, he once again witnessed firsthand the stark realities faced by people affected by the war.