Declining Humanitarian Aid and Intensified Attacks Worsen Conditions in Ukraine Ahead of Winter, IRC Reports

KYIV, Ukraine — As winter approaches following the deadliest months since the full-scale war began, Ukrainians are facing escalating financial hardship, gaps in healthcare, and expanding attacks on civilian areas while humanitarian support decreases, according to data released on October 15, 2026, by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

The humanitarian organization reported that aid has diminished across every region it monitors, with some areas having received no assistance for over two years. According to the IRC, financial support and access to healthcare and medicine represent the two most urgent unmet needs across the country.

Data collected through the IRC's protection monitoring between January and June 2026 indicated that intensified missile and drone strikes have extended far beyond the front lines, driving internal displacement, distress, and economic strain. The organization found that more than 90% of surveyed individuals reported fear of missile and drone strikes regardless of their proximity to active combat zones. In certain regions, up to 90% of respondents reported requiring urgent financial assistance, and up to 60% lacked adequate access to medical services and medications.

The assessment also revealed that 70% of internally displaced families expressed a desire to return to their homes but were unable to do so due to ongoing security concerns.

"As winter approaches, people in Ukraine face cold, illness, fear and lost income, and each makes the others worse," said Alain Homsy, IRC country director in Ukraine, noting that residents are increasingly exhausted by daily living conditions under aerial attacks.

Amid stalled ceasefire negotiations and declining external assistance, the IRC has urged international donors to sustain humanitarian investments in Ukraine despite competing global priorities and to ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

The findings were gathered using a mixed-methods approach that included 1,828 household surveys, 133 key informant interviews, direct observation, and secondary data reviews across Mykolaivska, Sumska, Kharkivska, Zaporizka, and Dnipropetrovska oblasts, with additional monitoring in Odeska, Khersonska, and Donetska oblasts.

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