Ukraine: Humanitarian Situation Snapshot (June - July 2024) [EN/UK]

Between June and July, an escalation in hostilities in front-line areas and attacks across Ukraine killed and injured civilians, including children, and damaged civilian infrastructure. In particular, June and July saw the largest number of civilian casualties since October 2022, at 1,237, and had the highest number of casualties among children, according to the Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (HRMMU). Donetska and Kharkivska oblasts in the east accounted for most civilian casualties, with Donetska Oblast particularly impacted. Incidents with civilian casualties were reported in the occupied areas of Ukraine in the east and south of the country but have not been independently verified. Hostilities also continued to disrupt critical services and destroy livelihoods, especially for people living close to the front line.

Attacks in large urban centres of Dnipro, Kyiv, and Kryvyi Rih, as well as other cities, caused multiple civilian casualties and damage to homes, hospitals and schools. In particular, Dnipro — the fourth most-populated city in the country and home to 180,000 displaced people — suffered from repeated attacks in June and July. These attacks affected civilians, including children and humanitarian workers, and damaged homes, health and education facilities and a collective site for displaced people, disrupting people’s access to vital services. A missile attack on 8 July destroyed part of the Okhmadyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, leaving child patients without specialized care unavailable in other health facilities in Ukraine. During the reporting period, out of 150 attacks on health care verified by WHO SSA1 globally, 53 attacks were in Ukraine, causing 13 deaths and 133 injuries. Furthermore, deadly strikes in Kharkiv City and Vilniansk Town in the east and south-east damaged homes and schools.

Fighting in front-line communities affected humanitarian operations and led to new displacements. Insecurity and damage to homes and critical civilian infrastructure forced residents in Donetska, Khersonska and Kharkivska oblasts to leave their homes. Attacks also damaged humanitarian assets and affected humanitarian workers in different parts of the country — from Sumska Oblast in the north-east to Kharkiv City and Donetska Oblast in the east and Khersonska Oblast in the south — impacting the humanitarians’ ability to deliver assistance.

In Donetska Oblast, hostilities aggravated humanitarian needs and resulted in shrinking humanitarian access. Residents in Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, and Toretsk towns in Donetska Oblast suffered regular attacks, deepening humanitarian needs while affecting the ability of humanitarians to reach the most vulnerable in these communities.

Strikes on energy and railway infrastructure continued, disrupting vital services. In June, HRMMU documented 33 attacks on energy infrastructure, which destroyed or damaged the energy facilities and temporarily disrupted electricity and water supply. In June and July, HRMMU also documented three attacks on railway infrastructure, affecting critical services.

With the cold season approaching, the humanitarian community developed a Winter Response Plan, appealing for US$492 million to assist 1.8 million vulnerable people during the cold season.