On Tuesday 24 February 2026, Ukraine marked four years of resistance since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has killed 15,000 civilians and injured 40,000 in the ongoing war.
In a press released issued to coincide with the war’s anniversary, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Luxembourg noted that systematic bombings and shelling across Ukraine have destroyed essential infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, schools and power grids, leaving entire regions isolated. The organisation stressed that “the population is exhausted and traumatised”, adding that the harsh winter conditions had further increased their vulnerability.
MSF highlighted that up to 70% of the country’s total electricity generation capacity has been affected, creating serious consequences for hospitals, schools and essential services and leaving millions of people without heating, water and reliable public transport.
There are many organisations world-wide giving their efforts physically, emotionally and financially to help the affected people, amongst them are the Luxembourg branches of Handicap International (HI) and MSF which both operate as humanitarian organisations that support people affected by conflict, disaster and crisis.
Each organisation works internationally with local and global partners to support vulnerable communities. Through rehabilitation, medical care and advocacy, they contribute to long-term recovery and resilience in crisis settings.
However, their approaches and core mandates differ. HI places strong emphasis on disability inclusion, physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support and mine-risk education, with a long-term focus on restoring independence for people with injuries or disabilities. In contrast, MSF focuses primarily on emergency medicine and frontline healthcare, while its Luxembourg structure supports rapid medical responses in crisis settings through private donations and advocacy on global health and humanitarian crises.
On the anniversary of the invasion, Chronicle.lu spoke with Lucile Barberet, Communication Manager at HI Luxembourg, and Cristina Fernández, Communication and Advocacy Officer at MSF Luxembourg.
Lucile Barberet detailed that HI has operational offices and around 100 staff members in several key cities across Ukraine, including Dnipro, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, as well as a coordination office in Kyiv, with additional activities in Sumy, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. She described how the organisation works both directly and in partnership with local organisations, such as the Ukrainian Deminers Association (UDA) on the provision of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education and collaborates with local NGOs to deliver protection and psychosocial support.
Asked about the growing number of people in need and how the organisation decides whom to support first and how it sets priorities for emergency medicine and frontline healthcare, Cristina Fernández noted that MSF assesses needs independently and adjusts its medical operations accordingly, deploying mobile clinics, supporting hospitals and responding to emergencies where capacity is most required.
Given the scale of needs, HI has estimated there are 10.6 million people seeking support in 2026, adding that it prioritises assistance based on vulnerability and exposure to risk. Rehabilitation and psychosocial support are directed first to conflict affected populations, especially people with disabilities and victims of explosive ordnance, remarking that the organisation uses mobile teams, hospital partnerships and protection referrals to ensure timely care. “Victim Assistance data collection is integrated into all Armed Violence Reduction activities, enabling rapid referrals and tailored support,” she said.
Lucile Barberet further noted that over the past four years HI has expanded from emergency mobile teams to structured partnerships with NGOs and community focal points, now combining rehabilitation with mental health and psychosocial support to adapt to the prolonged crisis and the need for sustainable, long term solutions.
MSF, giving an answer to the same question stated: “The war might be protracted, but the hostilities are as fierce as ever, and the level and range of bombardment mean that nowhere in Ukraine is safe today,” adding that their operations have been maintained accordingly.
However, due to cumulative medical needs caused by the length of the war, Cristina Fernández highlighted that MSF is operating a centre for post-traumatic stress disorder in Vinnytsia and running an early rehabilitation centre in Cherkasy, to provide holistic treatment services, including post-operative physiotherapy, nursing support and mental health care.
Asked about the priorities in Ukraine over the coming years, HI underlined that it aims to reduce the impact of explosive ordnance, improve access to inclusive health and protection services and ensure people with disabilities are meaningfully included in Ukraine’s recovery.
Looking ahead, MSF explained that the large number of serious injuries in Ukraine has created a strong need for rehabilitation services, including physiotherapy and mental health care, which “will remain essential for years, even if the war were to end tomorrow”.
