Marking four years since the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s humanitarian needs continue to evolve — and deepen. According to the Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026, more than 3.7 million internally displaced people remain in the country. This reality is particularly visible for older, single displaced people — whose lives remain suspended between “here” and “there.”
Halyna is 77 years old. She lives alone in her mother’s house, where she stayed after she passed away. Her sister visits once a month, bringing her pension, medication, and news. The rest of the time, daily life unfolds in solitude.
As winter begins to loosen its grip, new challenges come into view. There is the household to manage, the yard, the garden — work that cannot be put off. “There is grass to cut, things to clean, things to carry,” Halyna says. “And I am already 77. Staying alone at this age is very difficult. If someone of my family were nearby, it would be easier to remain here.”
Originally from Enerhodar, an area occupied by the Russian Federation, Halyna has lived away from home for four years now. Today, she lives in a village in Sumy Oblast, in a house that is not her own, with a sense of temporariness that does not fade.
The house has gas and a stove. In winter, Halyna jokingly calls it her a mantlepiece — she heats it with firewood, keeps herself warm, and tries not to complain. She says that overall she managed to get through the winter in warmth. But there was another problem — the roof.
Warm, but damp
Because of leaks in the corridor, the ceiling was constantly damp. Drafts moved through the house, moisture lingered in the air, and even the heat from the stove was not enough to make it feel comfortable.
“My ceiling in the corridor was leaking,” she recalls. “The contractors came and completely redid it. They insulated the ceiling.”
As part of a project implemented by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) across war-affected regions, with support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, the roof was repaired and the attic insulated. After the work was completed, the house became drier and warmer — as it should be.
Oleksii Pushkalov, Shelter and Settlements Officer at DRC, explains: “We support people who are in particularly difficult circumstances — especially older, single displaced people who were forced to leave their homes. In situations like this, even basic improvements to housing can make a real difference to daily life.”
As in many communities across Ukraine, the village follows electricity outage schedules. There are both planned and emergency outages — especially on days when the damaged system cannot handle the load.
Sometimes there is no electricity for almost a full day. More often, it is two hours on and four hours off. Halyna collects water from a well, as the centralised water supply remains unreliable across the village.
In the cellar, she keeps potatoes and a few basic supplies.
“That’s how I live,” she says quietly. “The conditions are very difficult if you are used to living a little better. And if you are alone, that is especially hard.”
“I want to go home. I want to be with my son,” Halyna says. “He has a disability. He cannot leave — there is no car and no money.”
Leaving occupied Enerhodar remains difficult and dangerous. The journey can take several weeks, costs hundreds of euros, and offers no guarantee of safety. For many people, it is simply impossible.
To get through the days, she keeps her hands busy — tends to the household, keeps chickens, and rabbits. She even thinks about getting a few goats, though she is unsure whether she would have the strength. Movement and routine, she says, help keep heavy thoughts at bay.
Back in Enerhodar, she used to embroider pictures — for her children, her sister, and herself. Now this is more difficult: materials are expensive and not always available. So she knits hats, sweaters, and other warm clothes — for herself and for those close to her.
“I always tell people: never sit still and never give up,” she says. “If you can do something, do it. The main thing is to keep living.”
Many displaced people in Ukraine live in this suspended state: unable to return home, uncertain whether their current place of living will ever become permanent, and constantly thinking about a home that remains out of reach.
Four years of war and deepening humanitarian needs
In February 2026, the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year. For communities along the front line and near the northern border, daily life remains defined by shelling, drone attacks and constant insecurity.
As the conflict evolves, humanitarian needs have deepened rather than diminished. Intensified long-range strikes and systematic attacks on energy, water and other essential infrastructure continue to disrupt basic services and put civilians at heightened risk.
Front-line towns are being emptied, while people living under occupation face grave violations of their rights.
An estimated 10.8 million people across Ukraine need humanitarian assistance. DRC remains committed to supporting those most affected by the war, focusing on communities facing the most severe conditions and ensuring continued access to protection, shelter and life-saving assistance. As humanitarian needs persist, DRC continues to deliver principled, needs-based support alongside national and local partners.
