Kyiv: For civilians across Ukraine, air raid alarms have become a routine part of daily life as Russian missile and drone attacks continue to intensify, leaving communities exhausted while testing their ability to recover and endure.
Henry Wilson Smith, Programme Manager for the Emergency Response Programme in Ukraine at CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said civilians are facing increasingly difficult conditions, with people forced to make immediate choices between continuing daily activities and seeking shelter when alarms sound.
The situation is particularly severe in areas close to the front lines. In Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, protective netting has been installed over parts of the city to help shield people from small explosive drones.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, July was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since the early months of Russia’s full scale invasion in 2022, with hundreds of people killed and thousands injured. In Kyiv, residents experienced repeated attacks and, during one recent week, almost 10 air raid alerts a day.
The impact of the war extends beyond the immediate threat of attacks. Families have been displaced, homes destroyed and essential services repeatedly disrupted. Yet alongside widespread exhaustion, Wilson Smith said he continues to see a strong determination among Ukrainians to survive and rebuild.
During a recent visit to the Kharkiv region, he met Ihor and Ruslana, an older couple whose home had been destroyed by fighting. They remained in the area, living in a shed behind their damaged house while rebuilding it brick by brick.
The humanitarian response is now also preparing for another difficult winter. Repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left families without electricity and heating. CAFOD and its Ukrainian partners are preparing by distributing heaters, power banks and blankets to families in frontline areas.
CAFOD works with Ukrainian organisations whose staff often come from the same communities they serve. Wilson Smith said many of these aid workers have experienced displacement, loss and the trauma of war themselves, giving them a close understanding of the needs of other affected families.
CAFOD partners include Caritas Ukraine, Caritas Spes and other faith based organisations. Their work includes providing food, water, clothing and emergency shelter, while also helping families return to work, children return to school and people receive psychological support. They also assist with repairing damaged homes and replacing essential documents lost during the war.
Wilson Smith said humanitarian assistance also carries an important message of solidarity. Pope Francis repeatedly expressed his closeness to what he called “martyred Ukraine”, while Pope Leo XIV has continued to appeal for peace and express solidarity with people suffering because of the war.
According to Wilson Smith, Ukrainians are aware of the prayers and support offered by people outside the country. That sense of solidarity, he said, can help people feel that they are not facing the war alone.
He urged people outside Ukraine to respond through prayer, practical support and by remaining informed about the situation. He also encouraged people to seek accounts written by Ukrainians themselves to better understand their experiences.
Wilson Smith said he remains particularly inspired by Ukrainian humanitarian workers, many of whom have faced displacement, personal loss or have family members serving in the military. Despite their own difficulties, they continue to support others.
For Ukraine’s humanitarian workers and the communities they serve, that commitment reflects a continuing effort to rebuild lives while the war remains a daily reality.