Ukraine crisis latest news and Red Cross response: three years on

Last updated 17th February 2025

The latest news on the situation in Ukraine

For millions of people in Ukraine, this month marks three years of living through a nightmare. 

Since the conflict escalated in February 2022, each day has brought devastating consequences to millions of families across Ukraine and the wider region. 

Over 40,000 people have been killed or injured, and millions more have fled their homes. 

The sense of loss is immense - many don’t know where their loved ones are, or if they are even alive. 

From day one, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has been there to help pick up the pieces where people’s lives have been shattered. 

As a global humanitarian network, we have pulled together to get people the help they need, wherever they may be – in Ukraine, in neighbouring countries, or in the UK. 

DONATE TO THE UKRAINE CRISIS APPEAL

Help us continue to support people in Ukraine

Thanks to your generous donations, as well as the time and dedication of thousands of staff and volunteers, teams from our Movement have so far supported over 18 million people impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.

As well as providing short-term essentials like emergency medical care, food and shelter, we've been focused on long-term solutions, like giving cash support to families who have lost everything, so that they can start to rebuild their lives.

Where the conflict has separated loved ones, we've been working to track down missing people and bring families back together, via a programme run by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS), which traces missing relatives, setting up communication between family members.

And in the UK, British Red Cross teams have been there for people who have fled Ukraine. This has included providing emergency cash assistance, running a dedicated phone line to answer questions and signpost to support. We've also been calling for greater long-term support for those who’ve come here. We believe that every refugee should be able to rebuild their lives after an emergency. That’s why we’ve been sharing recommendations for improvements to government schemes, calling for improved access to long-term accommodation solutions, and advocating for family reunification policies. Learn more about our research.

• Homelessness among displaced Ukrainians in the UK: Summary of research findings

• How to help people affected by the Ukraine crisis

How is the Red Cross supporting in Ukraine?

The URCS is the lead humanitarian organisation in Ukraine, and since the onset of this conflict, has been supported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in its response.

The URCS has more than doubled its numbers of volunteers since the conflict began. 

Volunteers are taking people to hospital, donating and transporting medical supplies, and the URCS is also helping people to regain contact with relatives through their hotline and outreach services.

As part of its scaled-up response, the URCS is also providing emergency financial assistance to people within Ukraine.

In total, 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies from around the world have been involved in the humanitarian response, including 13,000 volunteers.

The response has included:

• 18 million receiving basics such as blankets, hygiene items, food and water
• Over 15.2 million people receiving better access to clean water
• 2.2 million receiving shelter
• 1.9 million people receiving cash assistance for essential items
• Over 1.2 million people receiving health services
• 1.2 million receiving mental health and psychosocial support
• 7,800 people reached with information on the fate of their missing loved ones.

• How the Red Cross helped people fleeing the Ukraine crisis

What are the most urgent needs for people in Ukraine right now?

As temperatures drop below zero this winter, needs have become more pronounced. People need warm shelter, clothing, fuel and insulation, as well as  support for additional heating costs.

We are also concerned for the millions of people who have fled their homes since the conflict escalated and for the hundreds of thousands of people who remain in their homes and have no food, no water, no heat, no electricity, and no medical care.

• Caring for vulnerable people in winter: how the Red Cross is helping in Ukraine

Many children in Ukraine are bearing the brunt of the conflict. Their education has been affected or has stalled altogether. 

We are working with local branches to run children’s clubs and support groups to provide respite and to connect people to each other. We are supporting two accessible playgrounds to be built for children in regions near the conflict.

Medical care in Ukraine has also been severely affected. Medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and there's a shortage of medicines and available treatments.

The impact of the crisis in Ukraine will be felt far beyond the end of this conflict. Supporting people’s mental health is also a priority.

• Get help for Ukrainian refugees in the UK 

Three years of support from the British Red Cross

The British Red Cross launched an appeal on 24 February 2022, the day the fighting escalated. The funds generously donated by the British public to our Ukraine Crisis Appeal allowed us to respond immediately.

We have been working through the Movement by funding programmes and deploying technical expertise to assist the URCS, the IFRC, and the ICRC, both within Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.

To date, the British Red Cross has deployed more than 50 aid workers to support the URCS and neighbouring National Societies.

Since then, the British Red Cross has established a country office in Ukraine, based out of Kyiv and upon the request of the URCS. 

From here, we provide continued support in several key areas where we have strong expertise. This includes financial assistance to displaced people, health, and home care for vulnerable people.

The British Red Cross also works across the whole Movement to fund, advise and support programmes that will help as many people impacted by this conflict as possible. 

How your donation could help in Ukraine

Funds donated by the incredibly generous public here in the UK are being used to support the response in Ukraine and its border countries, as well as to help those arriving in the UK.

See how your donation could help below:

• £5 - could provide a hygiene kit to a person who has had to flee their home
• £75 - could provide a fully equipped first aid kit 
• £250 - could provide cash assistance to support someone undergoing physical rehabilitation. 

Help people in Ukraine now - donate to our crisis appeal