War, power cuts, freezing temperatures: Ukrainians are going through one of the most arduous winters in recent history after Russian attacks have left millions without reliable access to electricity and heating.

In 2022, the EU and its Member States were among the leading donors of humanitarian aid in the world.

Volodymyr is a humanitarian worker who has been working for the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Kyiv since 2016.

2 young brothers, Hennati and Ivan, are back on their feet and lend a helping hand to others.

Sophia – ‘wisdom’ in Greek - is one of 5 fully equipped ambulance buses that will go to different parts of Ukraine. They have been contributed by Norway and are delivered via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Almost 1 month has passed since Russia launched its war of aggression on Ukraine. Since the start of the invasion, the EU has been working around the clock to provide emergency relief to those in need.

In eastern Ukraine, the ongoing conflict continues to cause damage to housing, schools, health facilities and water and electricity supply.

The EU, together with its partners, supports Ukraine with emergency assistance, both humanitarian aid and civil protection.

“War is the most terrible thing in the world.” Polina, a 19-year-old student from Ukraine, left Ukraine on the first day of the Russian invasion.

Feeling safe and being social are crucial for children in times of war. Kindergarten children in Slavutych, in northern Ukraine, will be safe in a bomb shelter that was restored and equipped by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

With the start of Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine, Andriy and his fellow firefighters found themselves on their own battlefield. Every day, they fight for the people whose homes have been destroyed by Russian troops.

The war in Ukraine has spiralled into a fully-fledged humanitarian catastrophe.

Forced to flee her home in Mykolaiv, Lyudmilla and her 7-year-old daughter Irina found refuge in Moldova. Despite the warm welcome they received, she longs to one day return to Ukraine.

Our colleague Marcin is in Poland, coordinating assistance for Ukraine arriving from all over Europe.

The war raging in Ukraine since 24 February has already forced more than 12 million people to leave their homes. Zina is one of them. As she was taking shelter in Kharkiv metro station, she helped the kids hiding from the war with toys and educational materials provided by EU humanitarian aid.

On this World Humanitarian Day, we want to introduce the driving force behind EU humanitarian operations – the people.

The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine started on 24 February and has since spiralled into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe.

EU humanitarian experts on the ground ensure that emergency assistance goes where it is most needed.

In response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in February, the European Commission is running its largest-ever operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.