Erikshjälpen has launched a new humanitarian effort in Ukraine
Ukraine is currently experiencing its coldest winter in several years. To meet the urgent needs, Erikshjälpen and Radiohjälpen have launched a new initiative to help families cope with the cold.
It has been four years since Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. The situation remains serious. Today, there are 3.8 million internally displaced persons in the country. Since February 2022, 745 children have been killed and over 2,300 injured, according to the UN.
Cold weather exacerbates situation in Ukraine
The winter of 2025–2026 has proven to be one of the most challenging periods since the start of the war. Families lack warmth and security due to destroyed homes and disrupted infrastructure such as electricity and water supplies. In Kiev, entire neighborhoods have been forced to endure temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius without the ability to heat their homes.
The harsh winter creates more than just material needs. Parents worry about keeping their children warm, and entire communities live in constant anxiety about how they will survive the winter. The combination of extreme cold and energy shortages increases psychological stress and leaves many in urgent need of both warmth and supplies, as well as psychosocial support.
Car wrecks and destroyed houses in a suburb of Kiev. Photo: Bengt Sigvardsson.
Apartment buildings destroyed by Russian air strikes. Photo: Bengt Sigvardsson.
Car wrecks and destroyed houses in a suburb of Kiev. Photo: Bengt Sigvardsson.
Apartment buildings destroyed by Russian air strikes. Photo: Bengt Sigvardsson.
Erikshjälpen's efforts against the cold
Erikshjälpen, together with Radiohjälpen, has launched an extra initiative to alleviate the worst of the suffering. The initiative has a total budget of Swedish kronor (SEK) 3.3 million Swedish kronor (SEK) is being implemented in ten regions in Ukraine.
This will be distributed:
- blankets
- warm clothes
- food
- thermoses
- LED lights
- heating fans
To enable children to continue their education, we distribute power banks that allow them to charge their phones and computers for distance learning.
Portable power stations are distributed to families with children with disabilities. They provide basic lighting, keep the internet running, and enable necessary assistive devices to be charged.
Support Erikshjälpen's work in Ukraine
With your donation, we can provide warmth, food, winter clothing, emergency supplies, and psychological support to children and families in war-torn Ukraine.
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Published: 23 February 2026
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