Ukraine: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (March - April 2025) [EN/UK]

In March and April, humanitarian operations in Ukraine remained constrained by active hostilities, particularly in the vicinity of the front line. So far, front-line shifts in 2025 have been more gradual than in 2024. Yet the expanded use of combat drones, with ranges now capable of striking up to 15 km from the front line, has created greater access challenges in reaching the most affected people in the front-line areas. While overall incidents reported through the Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework (AMRF) over January–February (52) and March–April (57) remained relatively stable, incidents from strikes impacting humanitarian personnel, assets and facilities rose from 27 to 37. Humanitarian activities in territories occupied by the Russian Federation have been minimal and remain extremely restricted.

Frequent drone attacks and shelling near the front line continued to increase the physical risk to aid workers during the months. Air strikes on densely populated urban areas with an active humanitarian presence resulted in 13 incidents involving casualties among aid workers. Two aid workers were killed in the line of duty and a further 16 were injured. Notably, Kherson City alone accounted for most of the incidents with casualties for humanitarian staff. The surge of attacks in larger population centres increased reports of humanitarian assets and facilities being damaged or destroyed, with more incidents (14) reported in large population centres across Ukraine than in locations (10) close to the front line. Attacks on Dnipro City on 26 and 28 March alone resulted in five incidents that damaged humanitarian warehouses, offices, guesthouses and other assets.

Escalating hostilities in the border areas with the Russian Federation continued to disrupt humanitarian operations due to increased security checks. Three out of four reported incidents occurred in Sumska Oblast. Increased security checks and scrutiny of the movement of humanitarian staff related to the situation across the border resulted in delays and disruptions of humanitarian activities.

Military mobilization continued to reduce the capacity of some humanitarian actors to deliver vital aid services in some areas, with 12 incidents reported during this period.