Children in Ukraine continue to face a prolonged humanitarian crisis as the war persists. 

Ongoing fighting and displacement have forced many families from their homes, leaving children living in unsafe conditions—especially during harsh winter months. Education remains heavily disrupted, with many schools damaged or destroyed and frequent air raid alerts interrupting learning or forcing children into remote schooling. 

Beyond physical dangers, the emotional toll is severe, with many children experiencing trauma, stress, and long-term mental health challenges. Widespread landmines and unexploded ordnance further threaten children’s safety, making daily life unpredictable and dangerous.

The war has had a profound impact on children’s education and well-being.

Thousands of schools across Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed, forcing many children to rely on remote or blended learning and causing them to miss significant classroom time due to air raid alerts. Beyond disrupted education, growing up amid conflict takes a serious toll on mental health. 

Many families report mental health challenges, and an estimated 1.5 million children are at risk of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Without sustained support, these impacts can last well beyond the conflict, affecting children’s ability to learn, feel safe, and recover.

Severe winter conditions and ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure are forcing many schools across Ukraine to close or delay reopening. Freezing temperatures, widespread power outages, and damaged heating systems have left schools without electricity or warmth, preventing children from safely returning to classrooms. 

These disruptions are compounding years of interrupted learning and are having a serious impact on children’s education and well-being during the coldest months of the year.

Children in Ukraine continue to face extreme danger and disruption as the war persists. 

• Since the conflict escalated, more than 49,400 civilians have been killed or injured, including over 3,000 children, and fighting in frontline regions has forced families to flee their homes. 

• An estimated 2 million homes have been damaged or destroyed, leaving many families living in unsafe conditions—especially during harsh winters, when hundreds of thousands of children need support to stay warm. 

• Education has also been severely disrupted, with thousands of schools damaged or destroyed and air raid sirens regularly interrupting learning. 

• Ongoing violence, displacement, and exposure to explosives mean children remain at constant risk and in urgent need of protection and assistance.

Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014, beginning in eastern Ukraine following the outbreak of conflict. 

We significantly scaled up our response after the full-scale war began in February 2022 and have continued to expand operations as needs have grown. Over the past three years, our teams have reached millions of people across Ukraine, delivering life-saving assistance and child-focused support in partnership with local organizations. 

Our long-term presence allows us to respond quickly to emergencies while supporting children and families over the long road to recovery.

Yes. Save the Children has been working in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and significantly scaled up operations following the full-scale escalation of war in February 2022. During the first three years of the conflict, our teams reached more than 3.8 million people, including approximately 1.47 million children. 

We continue to respond at scale, supporting over 180,000 people in Ukraine in the first seven months of 2025 alone. 

With a long-standing presence, experienced local staff, and trusted partnerships, Save the Children is well-positioned to deliver effective, child-focused humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

Donations to Save the Children support life-saving assistance for children and families affected by the war in Ukraine as well as children around the world. 

In Ukraine, donor support helps provide assistance to help families meet urgent needs, food and clean water, hygiene supplies, safe spaces for children, and access to education. Our specialist teams also provide mental health and psychosocial support through Child Friendly Spaces, schools, and community centers—helping children cope with trauma and continue learning in a safe environment.

The most effective way to help Ukraine right now is to donate to organizations with an established, on-the-ground presence and trusted local partnerships. 

Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014 and has significantly scaled up operations since the full-scale war began in February 2022. Donations help support life-saving assistance such as food, clean water,  hygiene supplies, safe spaces for children, access to education, and mental health and psychosocial support.

Becoming a monthly donor is one of the most impactful ways to help children in Ukraine and around the world. Ongoing monthly support allows Save the Children to plan ahead, respond quickly as needs change, and continue delivering critical services—helping children stay protected, supported and able to recover over time.

Save the Children focuses on protecting children and preventing long-term harm during conflict. 

Working closely with around 25 local partners, we provide safe spaces where children can play, learn, and receive emotional support; help families stay together through cash assistance; support access to quality, inclusive education; and deliver mental health and psychosocial care. Our child-centered approach ensures girls and boys affected by displacement, violence and disruption receive the protection, care, and support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.