What happened in Ukraine?
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine.
The conflict forced more than 14 million people to leave their homes – that’s more than a quarter of Ukraine’s entire population. More than 1.4 million homes have been damaged or destroyed.
More than 5 million people were displaced within Ukraine. Some of these people have since returned home. However, over 60% of the people who returned home do not feel safe, and 3.6 million people are still displaced within Ukraine. An estimated 6 million are now living as refugees across Europe. Older people, people with disabilities and people with a lack of economic resources are the most affected.
This latest escalation in military action came after eight years of ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.
ShelterBox responded to the Ukraine crisis.
How did ShelterBox Help?
ShelterBox helped more than 130,000 people affected by the war in Ukraine. We supported people displaced within Ukraine, as well as refugees who crossed the border into Moldova.
People are living in damaged homes without heating or lighting. That’s why we provided thermal clothing, solar lights, water carriers and stoves with our partner, NNLPD.
We also worked with ReliefAid and Green Chernobyl to provide emergency shelter repair kits. These helped people fix damaged roofs, seal windows and doors, keep the heat in and make homes watertight.
5 things you should know about the crisis in Ukraine
1. Millions of people in eastern Ukraine have been severely affected by an ongoing conflict that began in 2014 when Crimea was annexed from Ukraine.
2. Before the recent escalation in conflict, the UN estimated that 2.9 million people in Ukraine already needed humanitarian assistance.
3. According to the UN Refugee Agency, before the latest increase in violence, nearly 1.5 million people were internally displaced within Ukraine. Half were over the age of 60 – making it one of the ‘oldest’ crises in the world.
4. Since 2014, Ukraine has been the target of multiple cyber-attacks, some resulting in devastating power blackouts affecting thousands of people.
5. Winter temperatures fall as low as -15 °C in Ukraine, causing even more challenges for innocent people.
Providing shelter after disaster
Right now, we’re working to support people affected by disaster or conflict in the Philippines, Mozambique, and beyond. Have a look at our current projects here.