“A lot of missiles were hitting around us. My husband and I were hiding in the toilet, praying. We kept a shovel next to us, if we had to dig ourselves out from under rubble.”
There's still no end to the war in sight for shattered Ukrainians.
Violent attacks have forced more than 10 million people to flee for their lives. Countless homes have been destroyed, along with schools, hospitals and vital infrastructure.
Tetiana, 67, recalls the terror she experienced every day in her small village in Mykolaiv, which came under heavy fire earlier in the war.
“A lot of missiles were hitting around us,” she says. “My husband and I were hiding in the toilet, praying. We slept each night in the corridor. We kept a shovel next to us, if we had to dig ourselves out from under rubble.”
UNHCR is working tirelessly to provide displaced families with survival essentials. However, brutal funding cuts mean Ukrainians may soon miss out on vital aid.
The people of Ukraine urgently need shelter and protection amidst these devasting attacks. Your donation can provide safety for families forced to flee their homes, like Tetiana.
Your donation in action
We cannot let the people of Ukraine miss out on emergency aid - lives are at stake.
Your generous gift can help families find safe shelter; provide relief items like blankets, mattresses and clothing; offer psychological support; and distribute emergency cash to help refugees survive in new countries.
Your gift can help us repair damaged homes and upgrade shelters to provide safe, warm places for people fleeing the war.
Your gift can provide cash assistance to help refugees cover their basic needs, including shelter, food and electricity.
Your gift can help displaced people access social services and psychological support such as counselling.
"I was inside the house when suddenly a large explosion occurred. I thought it was the end."
Svitlana, 58, from Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine.
About Ukraine Emergency
What is happening in Ukraine?
The full-scale war in Ukraine is now entering its fifth year. Relentless attacks continue every day, destroying homes, schools, hospitals and vital infrastructure.
Nearly 10 million Ukrainians remain forcibly displaced, including 3.7 million people inside the country and 5.9 million living as refugees. Every day, more families are evacuated or forced to flee from frontline areas.
How can I help Ukrainian refugees?
You can support refugees enduring another year of full-scale war by making a donation.
What difference will my donation make?
Your donation can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and people displaced within the country. Your gift can provide cash assistance, psychological support, and relief items such as blankets, sleeping mats and kitchen sets. With your help, UNHCR can also repair and insulate damaged homes to protect Ukrainians from harsh weather elements.
How is UNHCR helping refugees from Ukraine?
Your donation can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and people displaced within the country. Your gift can provide cash assistance, psychological support, and relief items such as blankets and sleeping mats. With your help, UNHCR can also repair and insulate damaged homes to keep Ukrainians safe and warm during harsh winters.
Where can refugees from Ukraine can get information and request assistance?
If you are seeking information or support inside Ukraine, please visit the UNHCR Ukraine HELP Website.
If you are seeking information or support, visit the HELP Page for the country you have fled to:
Is UNHCR able to operate in Ukraine now? What support is being provided?
UNHCR remains present in Ukraine and neighbouring countries responding to the humanitarian needs of refugees and internally displaced people. Inside Ukraine, UNHCR and its partners have expanded operations to frontline areas where help is most needed. Our teams are renovating and improving centres for displaced Ukrainians and providing assistance including emergency shelter materials, relief items, legal advice and counselling for families forced to flee.
In neighbouring countries, UNHCR is working with host communities to support the inclusion of refugees in socio-economic activities and provide them with access to essential services including education, employment, housing, social welfare and medical assistance.
Is UN/UNHCR evacuating its staff from Ukraine?
Staff safety remains our utmost priority. UNHCR staff are present across Ukraine, delivering assistance wherever access and security allow. Our teams have expanded their operations to hard-to-reach areas in east and south Ukraine, including areas recently retaken by Ukraine where the needs remain acute.
What are your capacities in the region? How many staff do you have there?
UNHCR has a longstanding presence in the region, working with national authorities on refugee-related matters. We have offices in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. UNHCR also established a country office in Moldova in 2022.
Inside Ukraine, UNHCR has scaled up its presence significantly to stay and deliver assistance whenever and wherever access and security allow. Where permitted, our teams and partners are working in frontline areas where the needs remain acute.
Our fundraising impact
The majority of funds raised by Aotearoa New Zealand for UNHCR are directed to UNHCR’s emergency operations, providing the ready funds and resources to respond quickly and effectively in situations of crisis and disaster.