United Nations in Ukraine

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ukraine:

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Press Release

27 July 2026

The United Nations in Ukraine Continues to Support What Truly Matters: People, Families and Communities

In 2025, the UN helped communities withstand the impacts of continued attacks, displacement and consequent hardship while laying foundations for recovery during war. Nearly 7 million people benefited from strengthened electricity and heating services; more than 700,000 children and young people accessed learning and skills development opportunities; nearly half a million internally displaced people received targeted support. In parallel, 5 million people received emergency and life-saving support from humanitarian partners.   Throughout 2025, the United Nations helped Ukraine protect and invest in its people, focusing on the vulnerable communities and guided by the principles of Leave No One Behind. More than 200,000 people received legal assistance through a strengthened free legal aid system; almost 350 Resilience Centres and Veteran Hubs expanded access to community-based psychosocial and social support. Digital innovations also helped make education and social protection services more accessible to vulnerable groups. The UN provided strategic policy advice and technical expertise to advance reforms aligned with Ukrainian national priorities. This included support for labour law compliance with international standards; opening more opportunities for women, including in mine action; strengthening environmental governance in areas such as waste, water and forestry management; and advancing housing and social protection reforms. While the people-centered approach has been at the core of the UN response, our work would not be possible without the strong leadership of the Government of Ukraine and close collaboration with donors, international financial institutions, and civil society. The UN’s efforts in Ukraine were made possible by $914.4 million in funding from donor partners in 2025, including KfW, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the European Union, and others. In the second year of the 2025–2029 Cooperation Framework, the UN will stand with Ukraine in advancing a nationally led, inclusive, and green recovery that invests in people, strengthens communities and institutions, creates opportunity, and builds long-term resilience, leaving no one behind.Highlights of the UN’s work in 2025 include: Health, education and social support: From helping 732,000 people access social protection and providing assistive devices to 167,000 people, to supporting learning for over 811,700 students and digitalizing 2.75 million civil status records, the UN helped keep services within reach for people across Ukraine. Demining, decent work and infrastructure reconstruction: From keeping electricity and heating services running for 6.6 million people and teaching 1.3 million children how to stay safe from explosive ordnance, to surveying 1.6 million hectares of farmland and expanding employment opportunities for 23,000 young people, the UN supported safer communities and stronger local recovery across Ukraine. Environment, energy resilience, and green recovery: UN support helped drive Ukraine’s green recovery by strengthening water systems serving over 16 million people, clearing 600,000 tonnes of debris, and launching 139 green investments across 69 communities. Human rights, legal support and inclusive participation:  UN support strengthened justice, human rights and social inclusion across Ukraine, providing legal assistance to more than 213,000 people, restoring access to essential services for over 47,000 people across 56 communities and training 11,000 officers on international human rights standards.

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Publication

14 July 2026

Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — June 2026

SummaryAt least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in Ukraine in June 2026. Following the sharp increase documented in May, civilian casualties continued to rise, reaching the highest total number of civilians killed and injured since April 2022. The June civilian casualties were 10 per cent higher than in May 2026 (282 killed; 1,794 injured) and 37 per cent higher than in June 2025 (249 killed; 1,416 injured).In the first six months of 2026, civilian casualties (1,396 killed; 7,978 injured) were 37 per cent higher than in the same period in 2025 (1,122 killed; 5,734 injured) and 114 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024 (940 killed; 3,442 injured).In June, long-range weapons (powerful missiles with area-wide effects and drones) remained the leading cause of civilian casualties, accounting for 45 per cent of the total (126 killed; 907 injured). Most casualties from these weapons occurred far from the frontline in urban centres such as Kyiv and Dnipro.Near the frontline, civilian casualties caused by short-range drones reached their highest monthly level since 24 February 2022 (89 killed; 588 injured). Aerial bombardments (44 killed; 280 injured), artillery shelling and Multiple Launched Rocket System attacks (27 killed; 171 injured), as well as incidents involving explosive remnants of war and mines (7 killed; 44 injured), also continued to cause civilian casualties.The vast majority of civilian casualties in June occurred in areas under the control of the Government of Ukraine. Civilians were killed or injured across 13 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv. The highest numbers of killed and injured in June 2026 occurred in Zaporizhzhia (23 killed and 229 injured), Kherson (18 killed and 236 injured), Dnipro (25 killed and 77 injured), and Kyiv (11 killed and 112 injured).In June, the Russian Armed Forces continued to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. A sharp increase was also documented in attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against power generation, distribution and transmission facilities in occupied Crimea. At least 12 such attacks resulted in emergency or scheduled power outages.

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Press Release

03 August 2026

Three in four newborns are breastfed within the first hour, yet only 43 per cent are exclusively breastfed by six months

KYIV, 3 August 2026 — New data from the 2025–2026 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) shows that 74% of newborns in Ukraine were breastfed within the first hour after birth, an important step that supports both maternal and infant health. However, only 43 per cent of infants aged 0–5 months receive only breast milk, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. These findings come at a time when families in Ukraine are raising young children for a fifth year under the extraordinary pressures of full-scale war. Breast milk is one of the most reliable ways to protect the health of infants, especially during emergencies. It is free. It requires no boiled or filtered water, no sterilised bottles and no access to a pharmacy. It is always safe and ready, even when there is no electricity or clean water. As Ukraine marks World Breastfeeding Week from 1-7 August, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, UNICEF and WHO are calling for greater support for families with young children to enable breastfeeding, and the dissemination of evidence-based information on breastfeeding. “The foundations of a child's health are laid in the very first moments of life. That is why breastfeeding support is not merely about a baby's nutrition, it is also an essential part of child health policies. Even during a full-scale war, we need to ensure the best possible conditions for every child. This means not only providing high-quality health care but also helping parents make decisions that support their child's long-term health. Our task is to ensure that every family receives the evidence-based information, professional assistance, and support they need to breastfeed successfully,” Viktor Lyashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine.WHO and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding for newborns from birth to 6 months, where they are fed only breast milk and nothing else. Breast milk contains all the nutrients that an infant needs for healthy growth and development, and to protect them from diseases. They don’t need water, tea, juices, formula milk or breast milk substitutes, or any other liquids or foods during the first six months."Breastfeeding helps give children the best start in life. Enabling breastfeeding protects the right of every child to good health. Every mother must have access to a supportive environment to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and beyond," said Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine.“Breastfeeding is the natural foundation for healthy growth and child development. Children who are breastfed have lower risks of overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes later in life, while mothers have reduced risks of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as lower risk of noncommunicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Breastfeeding has mental health advantages for mothers and helps to lower stress, reduce the risk of postpartum depression, and strengthen the emotional bond between mother and baby. It is also one of the most important investments in population health. WHO and partners will continue to support efforts to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding”, said Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. After 6 months of age, an infant must continue to be breastfed while nutritious complementary foods are introduced to their diet. However, the MICS survey also shows that healthy feeding practices after six months need further attention. Among children aged 6–23 months, 56 per cent already consume sugary drinks, and 21 per cent already eat unhealthy foods.The Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WHO recommend: Starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. Feeding babies only breast milk during the first six months, without giving water, teas, juices, formula milk or breastmilk substitutes, or other foods and liquids. Introducing nutritious complementary foods from six months, while continuing breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond. Seeking support from healthcare professionals or trained breastfeeding counsellors if challenges arise. Fathers, family members and employers supporting mothers so that they can breastfeed, by helping with household tasks, ensuring rest and emotional support, time off from work, and creating a safe and comfortable environment for breastfeeding. Parents can find more information on breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding through: the resources of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine; UNICEF Ukraine's parenting hub; and the Path of Parenting platforms. Note to editors: The 2025-2026 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, the largest household survey in Ukraine in 14 years, presents new data on the situation of children and families. The findings can be accessed on the State Statistics Service of Ukraine website: https://stat.gov.ua/en/publications/MICS

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Press Release

31 July 2026

UN Secretary-General Condemns Continued Civilian Attacks in Ukraine and Calls for Immediate Ceasefire

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for urgent de-escalation, leading to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that aid organizations are responding following another wave of large-scale overnight missile attacks, while continuing to support people affected by hostilities along the front line.Attacks between yesterday and the early hours of today killed at least a dozen civilians, including three children, and injured more than 100 others. Homes, schools and other civilian infrastructure were damaged across several regions. This is according to what Ukrainian authorities are telling our colleagues on the ground. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is at the attack sites to verify these reports.Following these attacks, our partners on the ground, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) supported by UN agencies, quickly mobilised to provide first aid, psychosocial support, emergency shelter assistance and other assistance to affected residents in the Dnipro region, Lviv and Kyiv, complementing the efforts of local emergency services and local authorities.Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners continue to scale-up assistance across Ukraine. This week, we and our partners delivered a humanitarian convoy carrying vital medical and hygiene supplies to front-line communities in the Dnipro region.In the first half of this year, aid organizations have reached nearly 2.5 million people with at least one form of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine.Full press briefing is available at the link.

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Publication

01 May 2026

Enhancing Data for Development: Case Studies from UN Country Teams in Europe and Central Asia

Ukraine continues to face enormous challenges as the war affects people, communities, and critical infrastructure across the country. These conditions make it difficult to collect and manage reliable information. Accurate data, however, remains essential for emergency support. recovery, planning, and reform.To support these efforts, the United Nations worked closely with the Government of Ukraine, the State Statistics Service, and local authorities to maintain critical data systems and fill information gaps. By adapting data collection methods to wartime conditions and introducing new digital tools, the UN helped ensure that decision-makers had access to timely and reliable information, ultimately helping people receive the services, assistance, and support they need to rebuild their lives.Displacement monitoring and population data systems provided up-to-date information on population, internally displaced people (IDPs), helping national and local authorities improve social protection, housing, and recovery planning.Health information systems and surveys strengthened national reporting on HIV, public health, and healthcare access. Real-time monitoring of health facilities and emergency reporting systems helped authorities respond more effectively in conflict-affected areas.Vulnerable population assessment, including assessment relevant to children, women, and people with disabilities, was added, for example, to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), which allowed making the needs of vulnerable people visible and accounted for. Geospatial and urban planning tools helped local communities set priorities and improve local recovery planning through stronger mapping systems and better use of spatial data.Monitoring of cultural heritage sites through satellite imagery enabled authorities to track war-related damage and prioritize protection and recovery efforts.Here’s the brochure that overviews the work of the UN in Ukraine and its contribution to the overall work of the country teams in Europe and Central Asia.

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Story

10 August 2026

An invisible infrastructure: how data helps Ukraine to respond in emergency and plan better support for people

A hospital near the frontline must choose which services are needed the most. A community can clear only some of its damaged buildings and mines. A school must decide whether children can safely return. And there’s another one that needs rebuilding. A displaced family needs a home, but so do many others. A veteran needs work, and so does a woman with two kids. These choices affect lives.The United Nations uses data to provide accurate and reliable information, plan and coordinate humanitarian responses, manage programmes, report results, allocate resources, and communicate with the public. However, the UN relies on data not only in its own work. It also shares international experience with national authorities and institutions, so that, with limited resources and in harsh conditions, they can rely on reliable information to help people and communities. This is especially important in wartime Ukraine, where data helps answer three essential questions: Where is support needed? When should action be taken? What response will be most effective? Whether public or internal, data is essential for evidence-based decisions during emergencies and for planning recovery and reconstruction. Health services are essentialDuring war, a health facility may be standing but unable to provide essential services because of damaged equipment, staff shortages, interrupted communications, or power outages. Counting buildings is therefore not enough. Local authorities need to know which services people require and what health facilities can provide them. Health surveys, conducted by the WHO, document the impact of the war on the Ukrainian population. They are crucial for understanding which healthcare services people need the most, both short-term and long-term. On the other hand, the Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS) helps local authorities to track the real-time functionality of health facilities across frontline and war-affected areas. For the latter, WHO, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, deployed a unified national emergency reporting system across all 24 oblasts, capturing more than 8,500 acute events and alerts and providing real-time analytics, enabling teams to respond faster, especially when power outages and communication disruptions make every minute critical. With data, the teams see not only where a facility is located but also whether it is operating, which services remain available, and where mobile medical teams are required. Going further, understanding the long-term impact of the war on the health of Ukrainians helps to plan the reform of the healthcare system as a whole. For example, support for mental health and psychological services has been traditionally overlooked. Now, they are generating more and more attention as more and more people report the psychological impact of the war. Understanding population, displacement, and housing needs With the start of the full-scale invasion, the population of Ukraine has experienced an unprecedented level of change, caused by casualties, displacements, and hardships. To help Ukraine better understand these changes, the United Nations Population Fund worked with the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (SSSU) to modernize data collection. One important step was the transition from paper-based interviews to computer-assisted telephone interviews, supported by the establishment of the statistics service’s own call centre. It’s estimated that 3.9 million people in Ukraine are internally displaced, while nearly 5.8 million Ukrainians are refugees abroad. The displacement is not static. People leave, come back, and leave again. To strengthen Ukraine’s collection of displacement data, UNHCR supported the addition of displacement-related questions to official household surveys, while IOM continues to operate the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). UNHCR also contributed to the Unified Information and Housing Analytical System (UIHAS), IDP Pathways and intention surveys, and the Ukraine Protection Survey in cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsman. These efforts translate evidence into practical support for returnees and IDPs, in particular in housing, employment, and public services.Making vulnerable groups visible Guided by the Leave No One Behind principle, the UN continues to support vulnerable groups. Children, women, displaced people, people with disabilities, and other groups may face specific challenges that are not visible unless data is sufficiently detailed. In 2025, UNICEF worked with the State Statistics Service of Ukraine to include child-focused indicators in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the TransMonEE database. This allowed us to better understand and generate evidence of the complex realities of the children affected by the war in Ukraine through a target sample of 24,000 households in 1,000 clusters across all government-controlled regions. UN Women produced evidence to support gender-responsive energy policy, while ILO and UNICEF studied childcare, women’s economic empowerment, and the war’s impact on employment to inform regional recovery and the reintegration of displaced and vulnerable workers. UNODC research on trafficking and migrant smuggling risks among displaced people also informs Ukraine’s national anti-trafficking strategy. In addition, UNESCO supported a number of studies to assess the impact of the war on youth, children with special education needs, female journalists, etc. Across these initiatives, disaggregated data serves a common purpose: helping ensure that groups with distinct needs do not disappear inside national averages.Turning community needs into recovery decisions Local authorities understand the needs of their communities and people’s needs in ways outsiders often cannot. They are the key instrument of recovery decisions, but they need detailed information about damaged infrastructure, debris, public services, housing, and displacement trends in their communities. At the subnational level, UNDP strengthened local data and information management, including for debris assessment and management, while under the Strengthening Evidence-based recovery in Ukraine project, a nationwide diagnostic across 950+ communities generated baseline data that informed targeted GIS support to 5 pilot communities. International Organization of Migration, in turn, worked with the Ministry for Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine to launch a unified geospatial system for monitoring the development of regions and territorial communities (GIS RD). The tool supports Ukraine’s decentralization efforts and will allow local communities to collect and analyze data critical for decision-making on recovery and development. Lastly, UN-Habitat worked with partners to improve Ukraine’s national urban planning database, while UNESCO assessed and confirmed damage to 514 cultural sites. These initiatives, while being quite technical, answer highly practical questions: What are the safety risks for the community? Which neighbourhoods lack essential services? Where should limited recovery funding go first? And how to build back better? From data to actionWhile data cannot repair a hospital, provide a home, or rebuild a cultural site, it connects needs with decisions and decisions with resources. It also strengthens accountability by allowing institutions and the public to ask not only how much support was provided, but where it went and what changed as a result. The data work is often invisible: a dataset added, a database connected, a survey conducted, a reporting system modernized, or a map updated. Yet behind every figure is a house, a community, a family, or a service. Reliable data makes them visible to the United Nations, the government, donors, and partners. So let’s make every count matter.More information on the UN's work in Ukraine in the field of data is available at the link.

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Story

07 August 2026

Beyond numbers: A Ukrainian mother's heartbreak

By Alina Basiuk, edited by Sofiia Borysenko, OCHA
On 15 July, when a missile hit an apartment block in Odesa City, Halyna and her 20-year-old son, Oleksandr, together with their team supervisor, were repairing its roof. They were working for the Restore Your Home programme, supported by the governmental Energy Efficiency Fund. The apartment and nearby homes were burning when my colleagues and I arrived to support local authorities and humanitarian partners. Rescuers were searching for people who might still be under the rubble. The emergency team of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society was already on site, providing first aid to the wounded and helping transport them to hospitals.Together with a psychologist from the Swedish NGO, Operation Aid, we supported Halyna, who was injured and in shock.Halyna and her two children, Oleksandr and 15-year-old daughter Olena, had recently moved to Odesa from the front-line Dnipro region for a temporary job opportunity and greater safety.The Restore Your Home programme helps residents repair homes damaged by attacks. They had started work early that sunny morning. Less than an hour later, the missile struck the roof. An injured Halyna managed to pull herself from beneath the rubble and was taken to the hospital for treatment. She returned to the site as soon as possible, desperately searching for her son. She kept repeating the last word she had heard him say in the first moments after the strike: "Mom...".During the agonizing wait that lasted hours for news about the fate of her son, she was accompanied by a psychologist from NGO Operation Aid, while the first responders continued to search through the debris. All hoped for Oleksandr to be alive.The sad news arrived in the afternoon: Oleksandr and another colleague had been killed in the attack. Halyna’s life was shattered by the unimaginable grief of losing a son.This family had come to Odesa hoping to earn a living. Instead, the war took away a son and a brother.While the war rages on, attacks continue to kill and injure civilians, damage homes and critical infrastructure, and disrupt lives across Ukraine. This was the fifth consecutive attack on Odesa City.Three days later, a strike on a seaside recreational area near the port of Chornomorsk killed a 16-year-old boy and injured more civilians who were enjoying their leisure time at the site.Highest civilian casualtiesIn June, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached their highest level since April 2022, according to the latest report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. Humanitarian organizations continue to provide emergency assistance, protection services and psychosocial support to help people cope with loss, trauma and devastation.
In the first six months of 2026, humanitarian partners delivered assistance to nearly 1.3 million people affected by strikes across Ukraine as per the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. Their support included medical and psychological assistance, distribution of hot meals and shelter materials, legal assistance and other essential services to help people in the aftermath of attacks.Meanwhile, needs continue to grow as attacks across the country increase. In the first six months of 2026, civilian casualties were 37 per cent higher than the number recorded in the same period in 2025 and 114 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, needs continue to grow as attacks across the country increase. In the first six months of 2026, civilian casualties were 37 per cent higher than the number recorded in the same period in 2025 and 114 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024. Behind every emergency call, every humanitarian response and every statistic are people enduring profound suffering and loss. Those agonizing hours of uncertainty as Halyna waited for news of her son, repeating the last word she had heard him say: “Mom…” will stay with me forever.There are countless other grief-stricken people across Ukraine, mourning the loss of their loved ones. It is a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of this war and of the urgent need to continue supporting people whose lives have been shattered by violence.

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Story

05 August 2026

Run Alone, Go Nowhere: The Quiet Discipline of Coordinating the UN in a War-Torn Country

What is the job of a UN Coordinator?When I get asked what a Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator actually does, I answer that the job consists of two main responsibilities. One is representing the UN Secretary-General to Ukraine's authorities and to society at large. Resident Coordinators are the ambassadors of the SG, his eyes and ears on the ground. The second is coordination: persuading more than 20 UN agencies working in this country to pull in the same direction. My team and I do not run the UN agencies or implement projects; our duty is to encourage the UN to work as one in support of national priorities and the most vulnerable populations.Coordination sounds bureaucratic. It is not. There is an African proverb I come back to often: "If you want to run fast, run alone; if you want to go far, walk together." This captures the logic of this job in one sentence, and also its central paradox. Large, well-resourced organizations are often tempted to move alone, convinced it is faster.Colleagues have told me plainly that coordination meetings slow them down. They are not wrong. But experience shows that going it alone rarely gets you as far as is needed and desirable. Is coordinating UN work different in a war-torn country?Ukraine has strong public institutions that have continued to function and deliver vital services despite the pressures of war. This is not always the case in war-torn countries, and in many ways it makes it easier for the UN to provide support in Ukraine. Close to 3,000 personnel work for the UN here, three-quarters of them Ukrainian, people who know the language, the history, and the country far better than any international staff could. Among the international personnel are experienced humanitarian and development practitioners who bring relevant experience and practices from across the globe.Together national and international UN personnel have established a track record I have witnessed firsthand while traveling the country: cash, material and service support for people who stayed near the front line, evacuation support for those who left, rapid response after strikes, and more specific help for those most at risk of being left behind.And we support government at all levels to continue and improve the delivery of essential services for instance in education, health, social protection and energy. What makes it hard?The challenges are just as real. Let's start with the uncomfortable fact that this war was launched by a permanent, veto-holding member of the UN Security Council, the body meant to prevent and end wars. In my engagements with young Ukrainians, some have asked me directly what the UN has done, since 2014, to prevent or stop this. It is a fair question, and one I do not have a fully satisfying answer to it. One of the realities of working as UN civil servants is that our actions are governed by the collective decisions of Member States in the General Assembly and the Security Council. This means that when UN Resident Coordinators speak out about documented violations, advocate for peace and justice, and take the side of the victims of conflicts and wars, they must do so within the frameworks agreed by Member States. As Member States consider the reform of the United Nations, I hope they will strengthen the Organization's ability to uphold the principles of its Charter and ensure more effective accountability when international law is violated.Regrettably, we are witnessing among Member States across the globe an erosion of belief in solving problems together. Many conflicts and wars, as well as challenges resulting, for instance, from climate change or economic upheaval, do not stop at borders. Yet we are unfortunately living in times where the urge to act alone, nationally, unilaterally, is stronger than the instinct to act together. That worries me not just for the UN as an institution, but for what would come after it, if it were to collapse. Then there is the issue of insufficient financial resources: shrinking humanitarian and development funding puts real strain on the system, and that strain has consequences beyond the balance sheet.When resources are scarce, every organization must work harder to sustain its own programmes. Many UN organizations are entirely dependent on project funding and have little choice but to scale back or close when funding dries up. It is precisely this pressure that makes coordination harder, but also more necessary: the tighter resources get, the more deliberate we must be about working together rather than drifting apart. How we build alliances and partnershipsConversations with external UN partners must be mainly about issues that are genuinely of concern and relevant to all involved, and where increased understanding and alignment can lead to greater impact especially for those at risk of being left behind. It is always very rewarding when a partner tells me, after a meeting, that they had not thought about something I raised. Meaningful relations in Ukraine, as elsewhere, must go beyond those perceived as the traditional donors of the UN. Some ambassadors from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are deeply engaged here and provide valuable insights about where this country is headed. Relations built over time based on trust and common interest, eventually open the door to impactful cooperation, including funding. Preparing for the day afterLike every Ukrainian, my team and I long for the day when the guns fall silent. We also carry a profound sense of responsibility, determined to support Ukraine as it enters a defining chapter, recovering, rebuilding and shaping its future. We have real expertise on the team, for example in mine action, conflict-related sexual violence, and recovery planning. The Resident Coordinator's Office also has access to greater capacities across the UN system, in and outside the country, and the ability to pull them together as well as to convene relevant dialogue. Analytical, convening, and facilitation skills are what we need most, notwithstanding that it is hard to create the space for "day after" planning when Kyiv is being heavily and relentlessly bombed. To Ukrainians…My consistent message to Ukrainians, including those living under temporary Russian occupation, is that what has been happening to Ukraine since 2014, encompassing the full-scale invasion since February 2022, the violations documented in various UN reports on conflict-related sexual violence, civilian casualties, human rights violations and massive internal displacement, is wrong, and in contradiction of the UN Charter itself. Our UN human rights team is documenting what is happening precisely because accountability and justice require evidence. In my statements and discussions, I attempt to consistently reflect our Secretary-General's calls for an unconditional, immediate ceasefire. Meanwhile, we will continue, with determination, the humanitarian and recovery work already underway across the country. And when the guns do fall silent, we will be there for what comes next too.

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29 July 2026

Recovery through the lives of people

Families are returning to their communities, children are returning to schools, farmers are restoring their land, women are challenging stereotypes in the labor market, and local leaders are working to create safer and greener futures. Recovery is ultimately a story about people.Back to school, back to childhood In the frontline village of Bezruky in the Kharkiv region, the war brought education to a standstill as tanks roared nearby. The local school took a hit and had to close its doors. Yuliia then learned that UNOPS would replace windows and ensure structural integrity of her school as part of the EU-supported school repair project. When she later learned that the school’s basement would be turned into a shelter, she was elated.“You just cannot imagine the change,” says Yuliia, walking down the brightly-painted underground corridor that she turned into an art gallery. Above are the ventilation, alarm systems, and communication lines – visible, but unobtrusive. Children can now come here for extracurricular activities, and their parents have peace of mind knowing that their children are safe. Little Kateryna learned to read and write here. Mykhailo, a year older, talks about the many friends he made here. And Kamila, about to leave primary school, says she can finally do gymnastics – something she couldn’t do at home. Thanks to this project, implemented by UNOPS with support of the European Union, over 15000 children can now return to in-person learning. Teachers in Ukraine are creating better futures for children For 20 years, Yurii Tkalenko has been helping students learn and grow in the Cherkasy region. In 2025, he joined a UNESCO training programme, funded by the Global Partnership for Education and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, to strengthen the New Ukrainian School reform. "Learning never stops. The new curriculum focuses on the child, adapting education to their needs," Yurii says. Teachers like Yurii are helping shape the future of education in Ukraine by bringing new ideas into classrooms and supporting every child's learning journey. Mothers who bring new hope to life In wartime Ukraine, bringing a child into the world takes extraordinary courage. For women like Anastasiia from Donetsk region, the journey to motherhood meant leaving home and travelling to Kharkiv to access specialized medical care. There, in a protected maternity ward, she safely gave birth to twin boys despite the challenges and uncertainty caused by the war. "I was afraid to give birth. But life goes on," Anastasiia says. Her words reflect the courage of countless women across Ukraine who continue to choose hope, even in the midst of war. “The doctors truly brought us through,” she adds. Across frontline regions, safe maternity facilities are helping women give birth while dedicated healthcare workers support mothers and newborns through difficult circumstances. UNFPA in Ukraine, in partnership with the European Union, continues to support this crucial work.How the “Nanny School” is helping women in labour market For many mothers in Ukraine, reliable childcare can open the door back to work. It means knowing their children are receiving professional care while they rebuild their careers and support their families. Through the ILO’s “Nanny School,” 80 women have qualified to care for children aged 0 to 3, with nearly half finding jobs soon after certification. The programme helps women move from informal work into more secure employment, while giving parents confidence that their children are in qualified hands. Now expanding through a nationwide network of trainers, the programme is creating decent jobs for women, supporting mothers’ return to work, and improving care for young children across Ukraine.On the road for her community After completing training through the She Drives project supported by UN Women, Oksana works as a driver at the municipal enterprise, transporting passengers across Kryvyi Rih, the city with the longest roads in Ukraine.Before joining the programme, Oksana worked as a cargo and baggage receiving clerk. She had always enjoyed driving but never imagined herself operating large vehicles. When she saw an announcement about the She Drives project on social media, she decided to try, even though she doubted she would pass the selection process. Now, Oksana drives one of the city’s longest routes and continues to build her professional confidence. "For many passengers, it’s still unusual to see a woman driving a bus, but their gratitude motivates me," she says. "If you want to do something, don’t be afraid to try. I wanted to change my life, and I did."“It’s important to know we’re not alone” In frontline Zaporizhzhia, hospital director Hanna Makarenkova has faced some of the war’s darkest days — from treating complex blast injuries to caring for countless civilians evacuated from Mariupol and other devastated towns. Since the full-scale invasion, her team has provided help to more than 25,000 patients, often working under bombardment and power outages. “My colleagues give me the strength to keep working,” Hanna says. “Their tireless work, their dedication to the cause, is what motivates me.” With support from the EU and UNDP, the hospital received new independent power units that keep life-saving equipment running even when the grid fails. For Hanna, this support brings more than electricity — it gives her and her colleagues the sense that their work is appreciated, and that in their struggle to save lives, they are not alone.Restoring strength and hope “Movement is life,” says Nataliia as her husband, Oleksandr, learns to use a wheelchair with support from a physical therapist. The couple lived in Kostiantynivka, where Oleksandr cared for their household and helped neighbours. One morning, he was injured in a drone strike. Oleksandr lost both legs and one eye. For three months, Nataliia has stayed by his side, caring for him through surgeries and helping him relearn everyday tasks. At first, Oleksandr could barely move and lost motivation. Then he began working with Illia, a physical therapist who taught him to balance and transfer into a wheelchair. “I think everything will be alright for us,” Nataliia says. “We’ll live and enjoy life. Because life goes on.” With financial support from the European Union, WHO is helping train rehabilitation professionals across Ukraine to assess, fit, and adjust wheelchairs. More than 300 specialists have completed the training, and nine have become certified trainers. The experiences of these people and millions more reflect both the challenges caused by the war and the immense efforts they put into rebuilding their lives. The United Nations, jointly with partners, is set to help them. The overview of the work the UN has done jointly with the partners in 2025 to support people is available at the link.

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23 July 2026

Life Continues Despite the War: How Children Returned to Learning in Chernihiv Region

For more than 30 days, it endured active fighting and life under occupation. It was liberated in early April, but the scars of war remained. At the local gymnasium, shells that landed nearby shattered the windows and damaged the sports hall. Because of the destruction and the constant danger of repeated attacks, children had to switch to online learning.Later, with funding from the European Union, UNOPS repaired the gymnasium building, allowing the school to reopen its doors. However, another challenge remained: although the old basement provided shelter during air raid alerts, it was not suitable for prolonged stays. To restore comfort and safety for children, UNOPS later fully renovated and equipped the basement. It now has everything needed to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of learning.The renovation was completed in mid-May 2026, allowing students to finish the school year in person. “I’m glad we now have a shelter. We’ve already gotten used to it: whenever the air raid siren sounds, we immediately go downstairs and continue our lesson there. Every class knows where to go, so everything happens very quickly,” says Illia, an eighth-grade student at the gymnasium. Even now, during the summer holidays, children come to school for additional subject consultations, and they sometimes have to go down to the shelter, as air raid alerts are frequent in the region.“After the ninth grade, I plan to enroll in college. I understand how important it is to attend school now so I can prepare better. Sometimes a lot of drones fly over our village, but when I’m at school, I know I’m safe in the shelter. And it gives my parents peace of mind too,” says Sofiia, a ninth-grade student. For the gymnasium, the renovated shelter became much more than a technical solution. It made it possible for the school to remain a school—a place where friends come together, where life goes on, and where learning never stops. About the projectThe Schools Repairs in Ukraine project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS, aims to repair educational facilities that have been damaged during the ongoing war in Ukraine. This $30 million initiative is being implemented in the regions of Chernihiv, Kyiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, focusing on schools requiring light to medium repair work.The primary objective of the project is to provide access to repaired school facilities, which will increase the proportion of children receiving face-to-face education. By rehabilitating more than 70 schools, the project will help restore facilities to a safe and welcoming environment where children can continue their education without interruption.

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Press Release

14 August 2026

Following Recent Attacks on Humanitarian Workers in Kherson: Statement by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator

In Kherson last week, two women humanitarian workers from the mobile psychosocial support team of NGO "Culture of Democracy," were injured while responding to a domestic violence case. Culture of Democracy's mobile team operates with UNFPA support. They are also affiliated with "Successful Woman" (supported by IOM). On their way back, their vehicle was hit in a drone attack. It is a relief that they are now in stable condition.In May, driver Olena Tarasenko was injured when her vehicle came under shelling. In July, she died from those injuries.The trend is deeply concerning. OCHA reports a 38 per cent increase in attacks on humanitarian workers and assets in the first quarter of 2026. During the first six months of 2026, 6 humanitarian workers have been killed in Ukraine, including two humanitarian deminers working for NPA in Kherson.As Humanitarian Coordinator I stand with the injured colleagues, with the teams at "Culture of Democracy" and "Successful Woman," and with all Women's Rights Organizations working under such difficult conditions. I honor the memory of Olena Tarasenko and all humanitarian workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.At great personnel risk, the women mentioned stand by survivors of gender-based violence and by women and girls in frontline communities. It is a somewhat "invisible front", work that rarely makes headlines, yet that thousands of people depend on.Local Women's Rights Organizations tend to be small and have far fewer resources than larger actors to manage duty of care. And funding for Women Rights Organisations keeps shrinking as needs grow.
Duty of care is not optional. It means real investment in personnel safety, mental health support, insurance, and rapid crisis funding for those who risk themselves for others.Protecting frontline humanitarian workers is a shared responsibility. I call on partners and donors to ensure sustained support for the safety of Women's Rights Organizations on the front line.Humanitarian personnel and assets are protected under international humanitarian law, and attacks against them should be considered war crimes and must stop.

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Press Release

13 August 2026

UN human rights monitors report the highest monthly number of civilian deaths and injuries in Ukraine since March 2022

HRMMU verified that at least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine in July, a 30 per cent increase compared with the previous month and a 70 per cent increase compared with July 2025. The number of those killed is the highest recorded since May 2022, while child casualties were at their highest level since April 2022. The actual figure is likely higher, as HRMMU continues to verify information. “Every month this year the number of killed and injured civilians has increased. That trend accelerated sharply in July. The number of civilian casualties in July was the highest we documented in a single month since March 2022,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU. During the first seven months of 2026, HRMMU verified that conflict-related violence in Ukraine resulted in 12,477 civilian casualties (1,839 killed and 10,638 injured). This constitutes a 44 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025 (1,434 killed and 7,216 injured) and more than double the number during the same period in 2024 (1,188 killed and 4,560 injured). Reported civilian casualties in the Russian Federation also increased in July. Russian authorities reported that 79 civilians were killed and 601 injured in the Russian Federation in July. HRMMU has not been able to independently verify these figures to its verification standards due to lack of access and limited information. With at least 54 civilians killed and 202 injured, Kyiv was one of the hardest hit cities in Ukraine in July as Russian armed forces significantly increased the use of ballistic and cruise missiles. Russia launched at least 429 missiles in July, more than double the number in June. Many of the missiles struck Kyiv. In the deadliest strike of the month, at least 30 civilians were killed and 104 injured on 2 July when Russian armed forces launched 74 missiles and almost 500 long-range drones, mainly striking Kyiv city . Long-range weapons (missiles and drones) remained the leading cause of civilian casualties in July, accounting for 38 per cent of the total (183 killed and 967 injured). Civilian casualties from aerial bombardments (105 killed and 753 injured) increased by 143 per cent compared with June 2026 (45 killed and 308 injured), with glide bombs becoming the second leading cause of civilian casualties. Short-range drones near the frontline caused 27 per cent of casualties (111 killed and 710 injured). While several high-casualty large-scale attacks accounted for some of the increase in civilian casualties in July, daily attacks with fewer casualties across different regions also contributed to the high numbers. “Civilians are facing intensified risks from the increased use of missiles and drones in urban centers, glide bombs in cities closer to the frontline, and short-range drones,” Bell said. “Together, these attacks are driving up civilian casualties across different regions of Ukraine”. Overall, since 24 February 2022, OHCHR has verified at least 16,874 civilians killed, including 820 children, and 51,273 injured, including 3,126 children.

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Press Release

06 August 2026

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - on Ukraine and the Russian Federation

These latest series of attacks follow an alarming pattern of escalating strikes against populated areas, reportedly resulting in a record-level increase in numbers of civilian casualties and widespread destruction of residential and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as increasingly in the Russian Federation. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and must stop immediately. The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned by the increasing risks to safety and security of navigation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and the potential impact on global food security. He calls on all concerned to ensure freedom of navigation in accordance with international law and for the protection of civilian ports and maritime infrastructure.The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the continued escalation of the conflict, including onto the territory of the Russian Federation. In this regard, he also condemns the recent Ukrainian drone attacks on several regions of the Russian Federation, which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.The Secretary-General reiterates his call for urgent de-escalation, leading to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace, in line with international law, including the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions.Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

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