Kyiv/Budapest/Geneva, 14 November 2025 – This coming winter may be the hardest one in years for many people in Ukraine, warns the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
With savings exhausted, prices soaring, and livelihoods destroyed, millions now face a season where survival depends on the support of others. The Ukrainian Red Cross and the IFRC Network are scaling up their efforts - helping communities prepare before the cold sets in and supporting communities to survive through the hardest months of winter.
Last winter, 60 per cent of people surveyed by the Ukrainian Red Cross said that they did not have enough food, and 50 per cent did not have stable access to water, electricity and gas.i
“Almost four years of conflict have eroded people’s resources. Many families are entering this winter with no financial buffer – seven out of ten people said they don’t have any savings left,” said Jaime Wah, Deputy Head of Delegation for IFRC in Ukraine.
Across Ukraine, frequent power cuts plunge neighbourhoods into darkness, cut heating, and force hospitals onto emergency power. For older people and vulnerable people in high-rise buildings, blackouts can mean hours or days of isolation without elevators, heat, and often without food or medicine.
But the impact goes beyond that: shops are closing early, restaurants are losing their food stock, and farmers can’t store what they produce. Prices continue to rise as small businesses are closing, and people are losing their jobs.
A plan to keep families warm and safe
To meet the rising needs, the IFRC Network and the Ukrainian Red Cross have launched a 38 million Swiss franc winterization plan that aims to reach nearly half a million people. Red Cross teams are mobilizing to reach vulnerable households across frontline and affected regions, distributing basic items, insulation materials and lighting kits. They are also helping with small repairs and replacing broken windows to keep houses warm.
People living in rural areas will receive small grants for agricultural projects and veterinary assistance to help restore their livelihoods. The Red Cross is also assisting with the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and developing local emergency capacities in communities, so that they are better prepared for the cold months ahead.
We have been providing support to people for several years, but our resources are also running thin. The scale of the needs is overwhelming, and with each passing day, those needs only grow. There are still millions who need our help, and we are calling on governments and donors to invest in emergency response and long-term recovery,” said Jaime Wah.
Note to editors:
Under the IFRC Network’s winterization plan:
- 18,000 people will receive cash assistance to cover essential winter expenses
- 117,000 people will regain access to heat, energy, and clean water
- 29,500 people will be assisted through evacuation and preparedness activities
- 3,310 rural households will benefit from livelihood grants, veterinary assistance, and agricultural training
- 150 communities will be equipped to better respond to emergencies
Visuals: photos and videos available here: LINK
Audio: An interview on IFRC News, IFRC’s new weekly news podcast – on help for Ukrainians to prepare for the winter ahead.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected]
In Bucharest: Diana Hohol, +40 730 865 106
In Budapest: Nora Peter, +36 70 953 7709
In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa, +41 79 708 4367
