On 10 July, Ukraine commemorates medical workers who have lost their lives during Russia's war against Ukraine. According to various sources, the number of fallen medics continues to rise. According to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, more than 510 healthcare workers have been killed while performing their professional duties. At the same time, as of July 2026, the Official Book of Remembrance for Medics has verified the biographies and stories of more than 600 civilian and military medics who have been killed since the beginning of Russia's aggression. This list includes not only civilian healthcare professionals but also combat medics serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and volunteer units.
On this day, Ukraine holds the "Light of Remembrance" campaign, initiated by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine together with the team behind the Order of Saint Panteleimon: Honour of the Medical Profession. Remembering those who have lost their lives means not only honouring their dedication, but also speaking about the conditions under which Ukrainian medical personnel continue to work and the systematic violations that place their lives at risk.
As of 11 June 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) had verified 3,066 attacks on Ukraine's healthcare system. Thirty-seven percent of these attacks affected primary healthcare facilities. During the first quarter of 2026 alone, WHO documented 122 attacks, while attacks on medical transport increased by 26%.
According to Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), 2,591 attacks on healthcare facilities have been documented since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Among them, 1,389 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals and clinics, while 235 targeted ambulances. PHR has documented the deaths of 359 medical workers and injuries to another 379. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of documented incidents increased from 445 to 663—an increase of nearly 50%.
Although different organisations apply different methodologies for collecting and verifying data, the available evidence consistently demonstrates that attacks on Ukraine's healthcare system are widespread, systematic and recurrent. Physicians for Human Rights has concluded that these attacks are "not isolated incidents but part of Russia's systematic strategy."
As of 1 June 2026, Ukraine had confirmed damage to or destruction of 2,617 medical facilities within 836 healthcare institutions. Of these, 331 facilities have been completely destroyed. More than 283 emergency medical vehicles have been destroyed and another 171 damaged.
These figures represent far more than damage to buildings or vehicles. They reflect the systematic restriction of civilians' access to healthcare. Every destroyed hospital means interrupted treatment and surgeries, reduced access to emergency care, and increased risks for people living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Attacks on medical transport directly undermine the ability to evacuate the wounded and deliver lifesaving care in time.
Particular concern has been raised by the growing use of reconnaissance and attack drones, as well as so-called "double-tap" strikes targeting emergency responders arriving after an initial attack. Such tactics place medical personnel and rescue services at even greater risk while they are providing lifesaving assistance.
Medical personnel, healthcare facilities and medical transport enjoy special protection under international humanitarian law. Systematic attacks against them require thorough documentation and effective investigation. Every incident must be subject to an individual legal assessment, and those responsible for international crimes must be held accountable.
At the same time, the Ukrainian state must ensure adequate protection and social guarantees for healthcare workers who continue to work under wartime conditions. Medical personnel working in frontline areas continue to face problems in receiving the additional payments to which they are entitled. Some healthcare workers who have been injured or otherwise harmed while performing their professional duties remain unable to access the one-time financial compensation provided for under Law of Ukraine No. 2980-IX because of existing legislative restrictions and eligibility criteria.
Remembering the more than 510 civilian medics who have lost their lives must be more than an act of commemoration. It requires consistent documentation of attacks on healthcare, effective investigation of violations of international humanitarian law, accountability for those responsible, and meaningful protection for the medical workers who continue to save lives.
Behind every number is a person. Protecting those who save lives is a human rights imperative that cannot be relegated to the background.