People across Ukraine continue to bear the heaviest toll of conflict
10 August 2026
Recent strikes on Kyiv, including one attack that left at least 30 people dead and sent tens of thousands of families back into underground shelters, as well as further deadly attacks in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk, are a stark reminder that civilians across Ukraine continue to bear the heaviest toll.
The attack also underlined the scale of that toll: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says about 3.7 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine and about 5.9 million have fled overseas, while the conflict has killed at least 16,431 civilians and injured 48,613 since February 2022.
The New Zealand Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal continues to support people affected by the conflict. Four years after the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict, the need remains acute, with Ukrainians still losing lives, homes, and loved ones.
Ukrainian Red Cross teams recently responded to multiple attacks conducting door-to-door assessments, evacuating residents, and providing first aid and psychological support to those affected.
Thanks to the generous support of New Zealanders, our Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal has raised more than $5.3 million as of August 2026. Donations continue to support the response, with New Zealand Red Cross recently providing further funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to deliver critical assistance to affected communities. The appeal has also enabled us to deploy specialist international delegates to the region and assist displaced Ukrainians in Aotearoa New Zealand who have escaped the conflict and are rebuilding their lives.
The conflict began in 2014 and escalated sharply in February 2022 when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, triggering a major humanitarian crisis that the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has been responding to since.
The IFRC says the humanitarian situation remains severe, with more than 12.7 million people still in need of assistance and continued pressure on health, water, electricity, and shelter services.
The organisation says renewed attacks continue to damage homes, energy and water systems, schools, and health facilities, while displaced families are still living with instability and limited access to income.
The ICRC has worked in Ukraine since 1993 and has significantly scaled up its response since the 2022 conflict escalation. Its work now includes helping people in hard-to-reach areas, supporting family links, protecting civilians and detainees, and reducing disruption to water, electricity, and other basic services.
Family separation remains one of the conflict’s deepest wounds. Through its global Restoring Family Links tracing service, the ICRC is working to clarify the fate of 28,000 people sought by their families on both sides of the conflict, and has received 165,000 calls, emails, and letters from relatives seeking news since February 2022. It has been able to provide information to 9,000 families, while thousands of others still wait for answers.
The human toll is still rising. The ICRC continues to press for access and information so families can know what has happened to their loved ones, while the IFRC says the response remains under pressure from shrinking funding and substantial needs remain unmet across Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
Our Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal remains a way for New Zealanders to help sustain that response as the conflict grinds on.
The need continues – how you can help
New Zealand Red Cross is continuing to raise funds to support families impacted by conflict in Ukraine. If you are in a position to help, please consider donating to our Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal
More information
- If you are in New Zealand and have lost contact with family members in the Ukraine, our Restoring Family Links service may be able to help you reconnect with your loved ones. Find out more and submit a tracing request: www.redcross.org.nz/RFL
- Find out more about international humanitarian law and how these rules apply to armed conflicts: International humanitarian law
Lead image: Ukrainian Red Cross teams recently responded to a series of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine.