Over the weekend and into Monday, dozens of civilian casualties were reported, including injured children, according to UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. The regions most affected are Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. Dujarric mentioned that civilian evacuations are ongoing from frontline areas in Donetsk region. Between October 24 and 26, over 900 people were evacuated, and the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund has allocated $13 million since May to support NGOs in Kharkiv, assisting nearly 76,000 residents. About half of those affected are women and girls. Aid includes cash transfers, shelter, health services, water, sanitation, hygiene support, and measures to prevent gender-based violence.
Winterization, providing lifesaving help to shield vulnerable populations from cold and harsh conditions, is a major concern, warns UNICEF. Kenan Madi, Head of Field Operations, UNICEF Ukraine, stated to UN News that frontline families urgently need heating, warm clothing, and essential supplies. Attacks on infrastructure affect basic services like hospitals, water, and district heating, making daily life extremely difficult for children. In Chernihiv, some areas are in total blackout, which is the harsh reality children in Ukraine are facing.
Under these conditions, UN agencies continue their efforts to assist communities. UNICEF provided clean water access to 300,000 people in September alone and to over three million people nationally this year. Education remains disrupted: around 350,000 children in frontline regions attend school in person, over 400,000 follow a blended schedule, and about 280,000 study entirely online. To address these disruptions, the agency supports more than 150 learning centers offering remedial classes, social-emotional support, and safe learning spaces. They have rehabilitated over 100 schools and kindergartens since 2022, with 42 more undergoing repairs this year.
Mental health services are also prioritized. Last month, UNICEF provided psychosocial support to 16,000 children and 25,000 caregivers in frontline areas, and over 300,000 people received mental health assistance throughout 2025. Mr. Madi highlighted the human toll, sharing the challenges of a mother with autistic twins. Many households struggle with daily life, and while individual stories vary, the situation increasingly worsens year by year, especially for children, raising serious concerns.
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