Ukraine: "When the blast wave broke the windows, I could feel my heart moving"

The intense bombardments and battles across Ukraine have resulted in countless civilian deaths and injuries, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Entire communities have been devastated, with homes reduced to rubble and families forced to flee for safety.

In response to this humanitarian crisis, DRC is dedicated to rebuilding and restoring damaged houses, enabling families to remain in or return to their homes.

In the heart of Mykolaiv Oblast lies Kalynivka, a once-idyllic village now scarred by the ravages of war. Destroyed houses, burning cars and tanks littered the landscape, painting a grim picture of a community caught in the crossfire. For nine long months, when this village of 700 residents was occupied by the Russian Federation, its streets echoed with the haunting silence of survival.

Petro*, a resolute 65-year-old man was among those who refused to abandon his home. "My wife and I decided that we would not leave, and then come what may," he says, his voice steady despite the chaos he went through. Born and raised in Kalynivka, Petro spent 29 years as an agronomist before retiring and taking on a security guard role. To him, Kalynivka is more than just a place—it's his life's anchor.

Petro's eyes, lined with the wisdom of years, reflect the memories of a peaceful life now overshadowed by war. "I have a cellar, so my wife and neighbours stayed there for months," he recalls. "I didn't go there; I stayed in the house. I was lying on the bed when our house was shelled with cluster munitions. I would not be speaking to you if I had been standing at that time. But fate decreed that I stayed alive."

The shelling that struck Petro's home shattered windows, tore through the roof, and left the outer walls pockmarked with damage. Seven bombs fell on his property, leaving craters in the garden, near the gate, and behind the house. "When the blast wave broke the windows, I could feel my heart moving," Petro says. "After the shelling, I started having problems with my heart and blood pressure. My blood pressure hasn't normalised, even though I'm undergoing treatment." Doctors have told Petro he will need medication for the rest of his life.

Humanitarian support in rebuilding homes

At first, humanitarian aid was slow to arrive in Kalynivka. Recognising the urgent need for rebuilding, DRC reached out to the village head to identify residents in need of support. Petro was among them.

Thanks to a grant from the DRC, funded by the European Union, Petro was able to replace the shattered windows and repair the roof of his home. "Next is whitewashing and painting. I've done half of it already," he says with pride.

Under the EU funded project, in Mykolaiv Oblast, DRC has facilitated repairs for 50 houses and apartment buildings damaged by shelling. The repairs under the cash-for-shelter initiative, focused on essential needs like windows, doors, and roofs, with an average grant of around $2,000.

Yevhenii Vasiukov, the Shelter and Settlement Team Leader, explains, "There were people who contacted us on the hotline, and some appeals came from representatives of local authorities."

The project has helped refurbish homes in three settlements: Kalynivka, Stepove, and Pervomaisk. Yevhenii witnessed that the nature of the damage varies between these communities. Kalynivka's homes suffered mostly from artillery shells, while Pervomaisk, which was located on the 'contact line,' experienced more severe destruction. Stepove village, struck by a big rocket, endured damage from the blast wave that bent walls and altered structures of the roofs.

The need for Shelter support in Ukraine is overwhelming, with widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. According to the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), about 250,000 residential buildings were destroyed or damaged, representing the largest share of total damages.

The DRC is committed to providing conflict-affected and internally displaced people (IDPs) with access to life-saving shelter and basic services, helping them maintain safe and dignified living spaces. Whether in collective sites or affected communities, the DRC offers temporary shelters, repairs damaged dwellings, and reconstructs homes sustainably. Last year DRC supported almost 3000 households with cash-for-shelter, cash-for-rent assistance, and repairs. 22 collective centres for IDPs were rehabilitated, as well as two kindergartens and one school.

Despite facing immense challenges, the citizens of Kalynivka are determined to rebuild and restore their lives. Petro says that half of the village's territory, which is free of mines and ammunition, has been sown again with grain and tomatoes. Although there is still a lot of work to be done, step by step the villages and towns in Mykolaiv Oblast are coming back to life, recovering from the heavy blows of war.

*Name was changed for confidentiality purposes.