Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 April 2025 – Less than 24 hours after a deadly strike on a civilian bus, which killed at least 10 people and injured more than 40, Ukraine has endured another large attack impacting civilians.
Overnight on April 24, widespread missile and drone strikes hit cities across Ukraine including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr and Pavlohrad. More than ten people were killed, including children, with dozens wounded, and severe destruction caused to residential buildings and critical infrastructure. This is not an isolated incident – attacks have occurred almost daily.
“I arrived in Ukraine nearly a month ago, at a time when the news was full of talk about a potential ceasefire. Instead, I have witnessed almost nightly attacks on Kyiv and have heard of dozens of civilian casualties. The world has grown numb to the numbers and losses of this war, but what is happening in Ukraine is that more and more civilians are suffering, more and more are being hit. These attacks are causing a daily emotional, psychological, and physical exhaustion that must end,” said Harris Nyatsanza, Deputy Country Director at CARE Ukraine.
CARE urges parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
“When we arrive at the site after a shelling, we see people in a state of complete shock — they don’t always immediately understand what has happened. Some are crying, some are trembling and unable to speak. Some are having panic attacks, while others are frozen in stupor. Sometimes these are people who have quite literally lost everything — their home, loved ones, and their sense of safety. They keep repeating: ‘We don’t know how to go on.’ This is deep trauma that requires long-term support and treatment,” added Nataliya Belyaeva, psychologist of the mobile team from NGO Avalyst, working at the impact sites in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region.
Women continue to lead the humanitarian response and recovery in Ukraine, despite growing security challenges. The international community must urgently scale up funding and assistance, particularly for Ukrainian women’s rights organizations and women-led organizations, who were among the first to provide emergency aid. It is imperative that humanitarian workers are protected from harm as they risk their own lives to help civilians on the frontlines.
For media enquiries, email: usa.media@care.org, or Halyna Bilak, Communication Coordinator, CARE Ukraine, Bilak@care.de