According to the latest UN data, funding for humanitarian operations is being reduced in 2025, and the situation in conflict hotspots is expected to deteriorate significantly — including in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. Unfortunately, it is impossible to collect accurate statistical data, as Russia consistently denies access even to civilian observers and international humanitarian missions. Moreover, the information provided by Russia does not match eyewitness accounts from people who have fled the occupied territories.
So, what is the real situation regarding basic humanitarian needs — such as access to drinking water, essential food supplies, and primary medical care — in Russian-controlled areas, according to eyewitness testimonies?
Medical Care
As of January 13, 2025, 1,971 healthcare facilities in Ukraine had been damaged during Russia’s full-scale aggression, with 300 of them completely destroyed.
From the very start of the war, Ukraine has been financing healthcare institutions, including those in occupied territories, under a new system that allocates 1/12 of the annual funding each month to each medical facility. Currently, funds are being transferred to those hospitals with which communication has been established.
The situation in the occupied territories remains particularly difficult, as the occupying forces prevent the delivery of life-saving medications.
One notable success is the medical train — a project launched by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways), which has saved thousands of lives.
In general, conditions in active conflict zones fall far short of international standards. In small towns and villages, eyewitnesses report that medical services are unavailable. Emergency services cannot respond due to destroyed infrastructure and frequent shelling — and with blackouts and communication failures, it's often impossible to even call for help.
Even in cities and in the so-called "people's republics," the medical system fails to meet any standards. There are accounts of even wounded Russian soldiers being left without medical care.
Water
As of January 2025, the situation with drinking water in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk region has significantly worsened. Water reserves at Voda Donbasu — the sole supplier — have halved.
In Donetsk, people queue for hours for delivered drinking water. At the same time, local officials claim that the city’s water systems have sufficient water, yet much of it is lost into the streets instead of reaching homes.
It was reported that during the winter of 2023–2024, residents of Russian-occupied Donetsk were melting snow to get water due to the lack of supply.
In Kherson, after the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam, the occupying forces deprived local residents of access to drinking water. People found themselves in a humanitarian disaster, as the occupation authorities are unable to meet basic needs. It has been acknowledged even by Russian-installed officials that the condition of local water sources is critical. The water is unsuitable for household, agricultural, or recreational use.
In Crimea, 2025 will be yet another year without access to Dnipro River water, leaving no basis for improvement in the water situation.
Overall, the situation is extremely uneven and causes concern even in major cities. In frontline areas and small villages, water supply systems are mostly damaged (if they existed at all), and well water is often not safe to drink.
Basic Food Supplies
Media outlets have compiled lists of basic food items and humanitarian supplies people should stockpile to survive a blockade or occupation. But how long are these supposed to last?
International humanitarian law obliges the occupying power to provide the civilian population with food, medicine, basic clothing, bedding, shelter, and other essential items. Yet how well these obligations are met remains highly questionable.
Several international humanitarian organizations continue to provide assistance in crisis zones. The occupying state is required to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid — but, unfortunately, the denial of such shipments has become a systematic problem rather than an isolated issue.
Thus, the overall situation is unstable and largely unmanageable. The level of threat to the civilian population in occupied Ukrainian territories remains high. People suffer from violence at the hands of occupation authorities, economic hardship, and a lack of essential resources.
Conclusions
The humanitarian situation in Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia remains critical and unstable. Residents of these regions continue to suffer from severe shortages of basic necessities — especially clean drinking water, medical care, and food. The crisis is compounded by the systematic obstruction of international humanitarian organizations, making it impossible to fully assess conditions or provide necessary aid.
In addition, there is growing concern about the right to education. Children are being forced to study under Russian curricula, often with distorted content and no choice, while in many areas schools no longer function due to destruction or militarization.
There is also clear ecological degradation — the result of the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, the targeting of industrial facilities, and a lack of environmental oversight. This has led to a regional ecological disaster, including the contamination of water and soil, which threatens the health and lives of thousands.
Most alarmingly, documented cases of torture, enforced disappearances, and killings of civilians have emerged. These actions — which constitute war crimes — not only violate international humanitarian law but also create an atmosphere of constant fear and terror for the civilian population.
All these factors point to a deep humanitarian crisis that demands urgent international response and increased pressure on the occupying state to ensure the protection of civilian rights.