Brussels, Donetsk Oblast, 20 April 2025 – On Easter Sunday, a day symbolizing peace and hope, a clearly marked vehicle of the humanitarian mission Proliska, engaged in the evacuation of civilians, was deliberately attacked by an FPV drone near the village of Zorya in the Donetsk region.
The vehicle was driven by a humanitarian volunteer and evacuated an elderly couple, one of whom was in urgent need of medical attention due to a suspected heart attack. The humanitarian vehicle came under multiple targeted strikes. In total, three drone strikes were recorded. The vehicle was destroyed, and one of the evacuees sustained a shrapnel wound.
This incident is not an isolated case but part of a disturbing trend of increased attacks against humanitarian actors and civilians in Ukraine. The vehicle was clearly marked with humanitarian insignia, and the passengers were unarmed civilians.
International humanitarian law must be upheld. Civilians and humanitarian workers are not targets.
The humanitarian mission Proliska and Protect Humanitarians call on the international community to increase efforts to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel. We demand accountability. We demand protection.
The humanitarian mission Proliska is a Ukrainian NGO that provides comprehensive assistance to civilians affected by war. Since 2014, it has operated in the conflict zones of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, offering humanitarian aid, psychological support, infrastructure restoration, and transport assistance to those in isolated, war-affected areas without access to services. Since the full-scale invasion, Proliska has expanded its operations to 13 regions of Ukraine, focusing on complex humanitarian needs such as evacuating civilians from active conflict zones, including medical evacuations for those with limited mobility, and providing emergency support, housing repairs, and psychosocial care.
Protect Humanitarians is an NGO advocating for better protection of humanitarian workers. Protect Humanitarians provides concrete support to NGOs and their staff, survivors of attacks, and/or their families. The NGO also develops research and learning to promote best practices in mental health and legal assistance for survivors after incidents.
Media Contacts:
Vladyslava Zomarieva, Deputy Head
NGO Proliska
zomareva@proliska.org
+380506460264
Sara De Grandis, Communication Officer
Protect Humanitarians
communication@protecthumanitarians.org
+393454581033