As Ukraine enters the fifth year of the international armed conflict, millions of people are facing severe winter hardships amid damaged energy infrastructure, rolling blackouts, and growing economic and psychological strain. The destruction of energy systems has left many families without reliable heating or electricity, preventing them from cooking, heating homes, accessing healthcare, or calling for help during outages. Older adults, people with disabilities, and those with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions.
The extreme cold is increasing risks of hypothermia, frostbite, and respiratory illnesses, while long hours in the dark and isolation are taking a heavy toll on mental health. Access to mental health and psychosocial support remains limited, especially in frontline and rural areas, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The Ukrainian Red Cross, supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and partners, continues to provide emergency assistance, including support for heating and electricity, health and social services, mental health care, winter needs, home repairs, and livelihoods recovery. Despite these efforts, funding is falling short, leaving a gap of over 260 million Swiss francs in the IFRC’s 2026–27 Emergency Appeal, which restricts critical support at a time of rising humanitarian needs.
The decline in international funding has already led to delays in home and infrastructure repairs, reduced access to basic services, social benefits, and medical care. Urgent investment is needed to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis and to sustain essential services, support recovery, and assist displaced and affected people across Ukraine and neighboring countries.
