Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer
February 20, 2026 Peace and security
Four years after Russia's full-scale invasion, millions of Ukrainians are facing numerous hardships, including interruptions in heat and electricity supplies. The crisis is particularly hard on women and vulnerable groups, UN humanitarian officials warned at a briefing in Geneva on Friday.
The status of women
Returning from a recent visit to the country, UN Women Humanitarian Programme Director Sophia Collthorpe spoke to journalists in Geneva about the suffering of Ukrainian families left without heat, electricity, or shelter amid extreme cold. Sixty-five percent of Ukraine's energy capacity, she said, was destroyed as a result of deliberate attacks.
"These power outages are more than just technical glitches," she said. "They directly undermine women's safety, security, and economic stability."
Many Ukrainian women work in the sectors where extended power outages have the most severe impact – education, healthcare, social services, and retail – and now these women are increasingly losing their jobs.
"In Kyiv, in a large heated tent set up to support people, I met Irina," Collthorpe said. "She told me, 'No electricity means no school for my children and no work for me. That means there's nothing to live on…'"
Last year was the deadliest year for women in the entire war, with more than 5,000 deaths and 14,000 injuries confirmed.
According to a recent study on the impact of aid cuts, one in three women's organizations in the country will likely not survive for more than six months.
"By the end of the year, they risk losing at least $53.9 million," said UN Women spokesperson Sabina Fraser-Güneş. "If this situation continues, approximately 63,000 Ukrainian women will lose access to critical services such as support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in 2026."
The crisis is draining both the most vulnerable and the most resilient.
Extended power outages pose a mortal threat to the most vulnerable: the elderly, people with disabilities, and those with chronic illnesses. The psychosocial consequences of the energy crisis are no less severe: darkness, isolation, and constant uncertainty exhaust even the most resilient. Jamie Wa, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told reporters via video link from Kyiv.
Attacks on hospitals
The conflict's devastating impact on human health is compounded by persistent attacks on hospitals and clinics. Over the past four years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded more than 2,870 confirmed attacks, resulting in 233 deaths and 937 injuries, including both health workers and patients.
"Medical facilities are operating at the limit of their capacity, there is a shortage of personnel, and the infrastructure is damaged," warned World Health Organization representative Christian Lindmeier.
According to the WHO, the number of people with disabilities in Ukraine has increased by almost 390,000, or more than 10 percent, since February 2022. "Numbers are one thing. The stories behind them are much more," emphasized Christian Lindmeier.
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