Stories

Ivanna Bedei, an Information and Communication Associate in Ukraine, based in Kyiv covering Ukraine and Moldava for the European Union’s humanitarian aid office. Ivanna joined the EU Humanitarian Aid team in Ukraine in early 2023, a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Jacques David, a Regional Information Officer, is currently based in Ammann, covering Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moldova, Türkiye, Ukraine and Yemen for the European Union’s humanitarian aid office.

The work of a rescuer has always been a symbol of self-sacrifice. But for Ukrainian state emergency service personnel, in the time of full-scale war, it has become a daily act of heroism, marked by constant danger and unpredictable challenges.

Maria is around 40 years old. Together with her family, she lives in a small village just a few dozen kilometres from the front line. Locals used to measure the distance to the nearest large cities — Zaporizhzhia or Dnipro — now they measure how close they are to the positions of Russian troops.

Since 2019, Dr. Anatolii Yaroslavovych Halushchak has been heading the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care for Polytrauma at Mechnykov hospital in Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s most vital medical institutions.

A small bakery in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine continues to bake fresh bread amid shelling and power cuts to keep its community strong – thanks to the EU’s support

The sound of water flowing from a tap should be ordinary, not a luxury. Nevertheless, for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, such a familiar everyday thing as water in their own homes has become a reminder of a past that did not have a war.

Halyna’s daughter Sofiia was born with short bowel syndrome and oesophageal atresia, a rare congenital disability that prevents a baby from digesting food because their oesophagus has not formed properly.

War changes everything. For those caught in its grip, survival often hinges on resilience, resourcefulness, & community support. In Ukraine, where the horrors of conflict have scarred countless lives, Ukrainians have not only embraced this lesson but have made it the foundation of their resilience.

As the harsh Ukrainian winter approaches, their owners face a stark challenge: how to protect themselves and their damaged homes from the bitter cold and the dangers it brings.

Exactly 1,000 days ago, on 24 February 2022, Russia waged an all-out war on Ukraine. These days will forever be marked by the immeasurable suffering of the Ukrainian people but also by their outstanding resilience.

"It was impossible to stay there. They were everywhere, at the entrance with weapons, their equipment scattered around. We were just afraid to stay, so we left."

In any emergency, rescue workers and firefighters are the first to arrive, ready to help, protect and save lives, despite any challenges. They are heroes in every country. When their nation is at war, their daily work takes a whole new level.

"Unbreakable" best describes Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city. It has faced almost daily Russian shelling since the beginning of the full-scale war. Aerial bombs, missiles, and drones have destroyed infrastructure, devastated residential buildings, and claimed countless lives.

War inevitably brings loss – of lives, health, homes, and cherished dreams. Yet, in the darkest times, the true brightness of humanity shines through.

Ruslana is a 19-year-old nurse who works at a clinic in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr oblast. She regularly visits families with young children in remote villages near the border with Belarus.

Formerly employed in a bank for five years, 27-year-old Diana changed her life and focused on her passion of making a difference in her hometown, Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Since October 2023, Diana has been working as a deminer for Danish Church Aid (DCA), specialising in non-technical surveys (NTS).

Today, 2 years after the start of the full-scale war and 15 months since the liberation of Kherson, the city’s new reality is much more grim.

When Russia’s war on Ukraine started, the lives of Yuliia, a former kindergarten teacher, Kostiantyn, an engineer, and their two children were upended. This family from Kyiv faced a difficult decision: to stay or to seek refuge elsewhere.