Ukraine’s Health System Faces Over 3,200 Attacks as WHO Expands Winter Support

Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion, more than 3,200 assaults have been recorded against Ukrainian health facilities. In 2026 alone, the World Health Organization counted 20 strikes on humanitarian warehouses, including 13 that stored medicines and equipment intended for roughly 225,000 patients. Recent overnight attacks killed at least 12 civilians and left more than 65 injured in frontline districts. UN officials note that at least six aid warehouses suffered damage within a single month, underscoring a growing pattern of attacks on essential medical stockpiles. These strikes have disrupted supply chains, limiting access to critical treatments for communities already facing shortages.

Despite the danger, WHO and its partners have kept humanitarian corridors open. Nine WHO convoys this year have reached more than 50 hard‑to‑reach settlements, delivering medicines, equipment and over‑the‑counter drug kits to roughly 28,400 people. Support has been extended to over 300 health facilities—including primary‑care centres, hospitals and laboratories—enabling services for an estimated three million Ukrainians. To prepare for the approaching winter, 30 heating units have already been installed in medical sites, with another 22 slated for deployment before the cold season begins. These deliveries have helped maintain essential outpatient care and emergency response capacity across contested regions.

The protracted conflict is taking a heavy psychological toll on health workers. A WHO assessment found that more than one‑quarter of doctors and nurses show symptoms of depressive disorder, while one in five exhibit signs of anxiety. In response, WHO has incorporated psychological first‑aid and self‑care modules into ambulance crew training, reaching over 40 specialists across 11 regions. A separate programme for primary‑care and rehabilitation staff has trained more than 700 workers, who reported measurable improvements in wellbeing and a reduction in stress‑related symptoms. These initiatives aim to preserve the workforce needed to deliver care throughout the winter months, when demand for medical services is expected to rise sharply.