The number of attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine reached a record high in 2025, increasing by nearly 20% compared to the previous year, as the country enters its fifth year under full-scale war. According to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2,881 attacks on health care have been documented since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, impacting health workers, hospitals, ambulances, and medical warehouses.
The escalating violence against healthcare infrastructure is occurring alongside sustained strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, particularly thermal power plants, creating a compounding crisis for the nation’s health system. A WHO assessment conducted in December 2025 revealed that 59% of people in frontline areas reported their health as poor or very poor, a significant increase from the 47% reported in non-frontline areas.
“After four years of war, health needs are increasing, but many people are unable to get the care they need, in part because hospitals and clinics are routinely attacked,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is working alongside Ukraine’s dedicated health workers to retain hospitals supplied with the means to stay warm, and the medicines people rely on the most. The best medicine is peace.”
In 2025, WHO support reached 1.9 million people across Ukraine through service delivery, medical supplies, referrals, and capacity-building initiatives, with a particular focus on frontline and hard-to-reach locations. However, access to essential healthcare remains severely limited. Only 4% of hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation, and just 3% offer assistive technologies like prosthetics, according to WHO data.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, highlighted the growing mental health crisis, stating, “Four years of war has created a serious health crisis in Ukraine. Mental health needs are staggering: 72% of people surveyed experienced anxiety or depression in the past year, yet only one in five sought facilitate.” He also noted a surge in cardiovascular disease, with one in four Ukrainians experiencing dangerously high blood pressure, and that 8 out of 10 people report difficulty accessing necessary medications.
The attacks on healthcare reached a peak in the third quarter of 2025, with 184 attacks resulting in 12 deaths and injuries to 110 health workers and patients. Simultaneously, attacks on medical warehouses tripled compared to the previous year, severely disrupting supply chains. Over the past four years, 233 health workers and patients have been killed, and 930 injured in attacks on healthcare facilities – actions that constitute violations of international humanitarian law.
This winter has been the most challenging since the war began, with repeated strikes on energy infrastructure leaving millions without heating, electricity, and water. In Kyiv alone, a January 2026 attack left nearly 6,000 buildings without heat in subzero temperatures, prompting an estimated 600,000 residents to flee the capital. Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative to Ukraine, described a devastating cycle of infrastructure damage and repair, leaving families and healthcare workers struggling to survive.
“What we are witnessing in Ukraine is a devastating cycle. A heating station is struck and thousands of homes lose heat within hours. At – 20°C, water in the pipes freezes, bursts them, floods buildings with ice. Repairs are made, then the next attack starts it all over again. Behind every one of these system breakdowns are families, elderly residents, and health-care workers who must keep saving lives while their own homes are without heat, water, or electricity. The burnout after four years of war is immense – and the demand for health care has never been higher,” said Dr. Habicht.
Access to medicines remains a critical barrier, with 4 out of 5 people reporting difficulties, primarily due to high prices, affecting 71% of the population. In frontline regions, closed pharmacies, security risks, and financial constraints exacerbate the problem. WHO has provided 284 generators to health facilities across 23 oblasts in Ukraine to help maintain essential services.
For 2026, WHO is appealing for US$42 million in funding to sustain its work in Ukraine and protect access to care for 700,000 people.
