Ukraine records highest attacks on health care in 2025 as WHO warns of deepening crisis across frontline regions.
February 2026- WHO reports nearly 20% rise in attacks on medical facilities in Ukraine in 2025, as millions face disrupted health services, medicine shortages, mental health strain, and severe winter infrastructure breakdowns. As Ukraine enters the fifth year of full-scale war on 24 February 2026, the country’s health system is facing its most severe period of targeted attacks, according to the World Health Organization. In 2025 alone, attacks on health care rose by nearly 20% compared to 2024, marking the highest annual figure since the war began.
Since February 2022, WHO has verified at least 2,881 attacks on health workers, hospitals, ambulances, and medical warehouses across Ukraine. Over four years, 233 health workers and patients have been killed and 930 injured. In the third quarter of 2025, 184 attacks were recorded, resulting in 12 deaths and 110 injuries.
A December 2025 WHO assessment found that 59% of people in frontline regions described their health as poor or very poor, compared to 47% in non-frontline areas. Mental health needs have escalated sharply, with 72% reporting anxiety or depression in the past year, yet only one in five seeking professional help. Cardiovascular conditions are also rising, with one in four Ukrainians experiencing dangerously high blood pressure.
The impact of attacks extends beyond hospitals. Repeated strikes on energy infrastructure, including thermal power plants, have left millions without heating, electricity, and water during one of the harshest winters since the war began. In Kyiv, a January 2026 strike left nearly 6,000 buildings without heat in subzero temperatures, forcing an estimated 600,000 residents to flee.
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Access to medicines remains one of the most urgent concerns. Four out of five people report difficulty obtaining essential drugs, mainly due to high prices and supply disruptions. In frontline areas, closed pharmacies and security risks further restrict access.
In response, WHO reached 1.9 million people across Ukraine in 2025 through medical supplies, referrals, trauma care, and capacity-building initiatives. The agency delivered supplies to 954 facilities, supported over 1,200 medical evacuations, installed 284 generators across 23 oblasts, and trained more than 2,500 health workers.
For 2026, WHO has appealed for US$42 million to sustain essential health services and protect access to care for at least 700,000 people.
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