As winter grips Ukraine, millions face power outages, heating shortages, and displacement. Today, the UN present the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, highlighting urgent support for communities affected by the ongoing conflict.
The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan targets 4.1 million people in need of assistance, requiring $2.3 billion, and focuses on frontline areas, newly displaced people, those hit by strikes, and the protection of vulnerable groups.
Cordaid’s partner, Caritas Ukraine, continues to focus on evacuating and assisting victims of ongoing attacks and on providing shelter and care for internally displaced persons, especially the elderly and people with disabilities.
No Safe Place Left
‘There is no safe place left anymore in Ukraine,’ says Hryhoriy Seleshchuk, Programme Director of Caritas Ukraine. ‘Kyiv, and even Lviv in the west of the country, have been hit hard. In Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, there is a complete electricity blackout, with temperatures of –15 degrees! In Kyiv, where we live, we have power for only 8 hours a day. In our house, we sit around a fireplace to keep warm.’
Meanwhile, the front line is shifting, and there are concerns that Russian forces could capture Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Seleshchuk: ‘When those cities fall, around 330,000 people may need to be evacuated. Where are they all going to stay?’
Evacuation from the frontlines is ongoing but very challenging in winter. Caritas prioritise people in the most vulnerable circumstances, including elderly people and persons with disabilities who have special needs and therefore cannot be accommodated in regular shelters.
Hope That Life Can Be Rebuilt
‘I didn’t want to leave,’ says 71-year-old Ms Liubov, who fled Donetsk to Zaporizhzhia. ‘But when the shelling became constant, I found myself alone. The support I receive gives me hope that life can be rebuilt, step by step.’
In cities like Charkiv and other eastern cities facing intense shelling and regular power cuts, Caritas teams set up heated tents, creating centres where people can find safety, warmth, and support.
In Novopavlivka, Kherson region, Caritas provided firewood and heating supplies to families like Liudmyla’s, a mother of six.
‘For me, firewood is a huge help because buying it now is very expensive,’ Liudmyla explains. ‘Before, we could go to the forest ourselves, but many areas are mined now. My children are warm, safe, and can continue learning online thanks to this support.’
A Vast Network
Caritas Ukraine comprises nearly 46 organisations and more than 450 parish hubs across the country. More than 9,000 volunteers are involved in Caritas projects, of whom 35% are internally displaced persons themselves. Because its network covers the entire country, Caritas Ukraine is well-positioned to secure shelter for the large number of people who have fled their homes.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Caritas Ukraine network has provided more than 5 million services to more than 3.2 million people in need.
Cordaid continues to support Caritas Ukraine’s efforts, helping ensure that those most at risk receive timely assistance.