Ukraine: Humanitarian Situation Snapshot (April - May 2024) [EN/UK]

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine deteriorated throughout April and New displacement in the northern hromadas of Kharkivska Oblast in April and May 2024 May. Attacks continued to result in civilian deaths, injuries and displacement. Civilian infrastructure was severely impacted, affecting livelihoods and compounding people's vulnerability. Civilian casualties significantly increased, mainly as a result of a ground offensive launched by the Russian Armed Forces in Kharkivska Oblast, which caused over half of the civilian casualties recorded in May. According to the HRMMU1 , 703 civilians were killed or injured in April 2024, rising to 864 casualties in May – a 31 per cent month-over-month increase in fatalities and the highest level since June 2023.

The intensified hostilities in Kharkivska Oblast in May also caused the largest displacement in Ukraine since 2023. Kharkivska Oblast and Kharkiv City suffered from numerous attacks in densely populated areas, while in the north of the oblast, entire communities, including Vovchansk Town, were flattened, resulting in new displacement. According to IOM, at least 18,000 people were displaced in Kharkivska Oblast in May. Moreover, an increase in attacks in Sumska Oblast, bordering the Russian Federation, prompted authorities to announce evacuations from more border communities.

Donetska Oblast suffered new destruction, limiting access to vital services, while humanitarian access further shrank to parts of the Oblast. Homes, hospitals and other civilian facilities were repeatedly hit across the Oblast, forcing some humanitarian actors to suspend activities. Shifts in the front line also impacted humanitarian access to such locations as Chasiv Yar Town.

Strikes and attacks continued to disrupt lives and damage homes, health facilities and schools across the country. Odesa and Zaporizhzhia cities, south and south-east of Ukraine, sustained numerous civilian casualties, including children, due to repeated attacks. Relentless strikes in front-line Khersonska Oblast, including Kherson City, also in the south, destroyed homes and civilian infrastructure. In Dnipropetrovska Oblast, railway facilities were struck, affecting vital services.

Waves of attacks on energy infrastructure affected access to essential services, with longer-term implications anticipated. In April and May, HRMMU documented over 70 attacks on energy infrastructure, disrupting power and water supply. Health-care facilities also continued to be impacted: 61 attacks were verified by WHO SSA2 during this period, out of 159 globally. With power interruptions, online learning for children faces further disruption, with nearly 40 per cent of students studying online and another 30 per cent in hybrid mode. The situation is expected to worsen during the winter.