Ukraine — humanitarian situation

Civilian casualties and destruction of critical infrastructure have intensified across Ukraine in recent months, with bombardments between January and April 2026 producing the highest civilian toll for that period since 2023 (OCHA). A massive Russian strike on 15 June targeted multiple oblasts including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Mykolaiv, reportedly killing five people in Kyiv alone and injuring at least 30 others (UN DPPA). Russia has stepped up targeting of critical civilian infrastructure along front-line regions, with monitoring data recording 1,937 political violence events and 205 incidents of violence targeting civilians in the week of 6–12 June, resulting in at least 61 civilian deaths from targeted violence (ACLED). Strikes have increasingly hit urban areas, with documented rises in violence against humanitarian personnel and assets (OCHA). Over nine million people remain displaced from Ukraine both internally and abroad (NRC). Inside the country, 4.2 million returnees are currently living in Ukraine, with 1.55 million people—37 percent of all returnees—residing in frontline areas where active conflict continues (World Vision). In neighboring countries, Romania hosts 210,381 refugees who have obtained temporary protection and refugee status as of end April 2026 (UNHCR), while Moldova reports 141,058 refugees from Ukraine as of May 2026 (UNHCR). Those remaining in collective accommodation face significant barriers to self-reliance amid declining humanitarian funding and limited capacity of national systems to absorb additional needs (UNHCR). The European Union has allocated €15 million to WFP to sustain cash assistance for Ukrainians living near the frontline, evacuating from frontline areas, or directly affected by strikes, alongside support for humanitarian logistics operations (WFP). However, declining humanitarian funding poses challenges to sustained assistance (UNHCR). A comprehensive study of Kramatorsk District in Donetsk region highlights the severe impact of war on the education system, documenting trends in school closures, infrastructure damage, and disrupted learning (RCC). The humanitarian community emphasizes that return does not mark the end of displacement-related vulnerabilities, particularly for the 1.55 million returnees living in active conflict zones (World Vision, IRC).