Annual report

•
1,811 people reached with MHPSS services
•
4,280 households reached with WASH 
support during the emergency 
Strategic Priorities
| Disasters and crises 
97

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IFRC Network response to Ukraine and impacted 
countries
Throughout 2022, an intensification and spread 
of hostilities in Ukraine are now affecting most 
parts of the country and causing major concern 
for the protection of civilians and essential civil-
ian infrastructure. The conflict has had impacts 
not only in Ukraine, but in surrounding countries 
and impacts on fuel and electricity prices, and 
food security have been felt globally.
There are millions of people displaced within 
Ukraine and more living in active conflict zones 
who are facing a loss of electricity, difficulty 
accessing drinking water and severe shortages 
of medicines and available medical assistance.
Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country since 
the beginning of the conflict. Many returnees to 
Ukraine are not considered permanent, and a 
significant portion of those returning are doing 
so in a pendular nature to check on family mem-
bers or assess the safety or state of their homes.
Many of those who have fled have been wel-
comed by neighbouring countries. Shelter 
needs are dynamic: many have been taken in by 
host families or relatives/friends in neighbouring 
countries, but for those in collective accommo-
dation centres, needs for improved sanitation, 
personal care items and hygiene items remain a 
high priority. Finally, the need for financial assis-
tance is ever-expanding, as people lose their 
primary sources of income, face unpredictable 
futures, and struggle to meet basic needs.
One year on from the escalation of the armed 
conflict in Ukraine, the devastation continues 
to affect every aspect of people’s lives. The 
international armed conflict has caused dis-
placement the scale of which Europe has not 
seen in decades.
In a truly global response, the IFRC network has 
been responding to the humanitarian needs in 
Ukraine, in bordering countries and in the many 
places around the world where people who have 
fled from violence have settled, in coordination 
with all components of the Movement.
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society – supported 
by the IFRC and many National Societies – and 
the ICRC continues to be at the forefront of the 
response in Ukraine. The National Society has 
organized civilian evacuations, provided first aid 
and mental health and psychosocial support, 
supported healthcare facilities, provided safe 
drinking water and delivered cash assistance, 
among other services.
Beyond Ukraine’s borders, National Societies 
across the region continue to support displaced 
people along their different routes and as they 
settle into their new homes. The IFRC provided 
strategic and operational coordination among 
the 42 National Societies responding domesti-
cally to support people who have fled the conflict.
Following the immediate response to the needs 
generated by the conflict and the subsequent 
mass displacement, operations continue to scale 
up, while adapting to the changing context and 
new scenarios. These have included an energy 
crisis, inflation, civilian casualties and damage 
to residential areas, and a continuing flow of 
displaced people from Ukraine. 
With a harsh winter approaching at the end of 
2022, the IFRC network scaled up its support 
with cash and voucher assistance as principal 
modality of assistance, as well as essential 
household items distribution and reinforcing 
safe spaces provision in close coordination with 
national authorities.