평범하고 따뜻한 가족 모임. 설레는 결혼식 날. 행복한 아들의 졸업식. 수백만 명의 우크라이나 사람들에게 이 순간들은 아득한 먼 추억처럼 느껴집니다. 3년간의 전쟁이 이들의 삶을 완전히 바꿔 놓았기 때문입니다. 사랑하는 가족은 뿔뿔이 흩어졌습니다. 집과 도시는 폐허가 되었습니다. 수많은 사람들이 생명을 잃었습니다.

우크라이나 사람들은 매일 끊임없는 포격 속에서 살아남기 위해 고군분투하며 전쟁이 만들어낸 아픈 육체적, 정신적 상처를 매일 싸매고 있습니다. 그러나 이러한 비통한 상황 속에서도 우크라이나 사람들은 가장 소중한 기억, 작지만 무엇보다 버틸 수 있게 해주는 추억과 희망을 잃지 않고 강인하게 이 삶을 버텨가고 있습니다.

전쟁이 시작된 지 3년이 지난 지금, 6명의 우크라이나 사람들이 전하는 이야기를 들어보세요.

마르하리타

Marhartya holds a photo of her family together.
Marhartya holds a photo of her family together in Bakhmut in 2021. The city is now completely destroyed by the war.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

우크라아나 동부 포파스나에 살던 마르하리타는 선생님이었습니다. 2014년 집에서 불과 몇 킬로미터 떨어진 곳에서 전투가 일어나면서 전쟁의 영향을 처음 느꼈습니다.

2022년, 분쟁으로 인해 마르하리타와 가족들은 다른 마을로 피난을 떠나야 했습니다. 마르하리타에게 2022년은 전쟁과 피난의 힘든 상황을 이겨내지 못한 할머니와 사랑하는 강아지를 모두 잃은 슬픔으로 가득한 한해였습니다. 지금도 그녀는 할머니와 강아지의 이야기할 때마다 눈물을 흘립니다.

마르하리타의 어머니와 여동생은 현재 다른 지역에 살고 있습니다. 2021년에 찍은 가슴 아픈 사진 속에는 전쟁으로 폐허가 된 도시 바흐무트에서 나란히 서 있는 두 자매의 모습이 담겨 있습니다. 하지만 이 모든 상황 속에서도 선생님으로 어린이들과 함께 일하겠다는 헌신은 계속되었고, 지금은 국제구조위원회에서 선생님으로 어린이들과 함께하고 있습니다.

전쟁은 그녀의 삶을 완전히 바꿨습니다. 전쟁으로 인해 그녀는 그 어느 때보다 가족들이 소중하고 가족들에게 감사하는 마음을 갖게 되었습니다. “이제 우리 가족은 사랑한다는 말을 훨씬 더 자주 해요."라고 마르하리타는 말합니다.

Children from Novyi Burluk village attend activities organized led by Marharyta.
Children from Novyi Burluk village attend activities organized led by Marharyta.
Photo: Oleksandr Rupeta for the IRC

의사 올렉

올렉 마르첸코는 의사가 되기 위해 평생을 바쳤고, 바다와 가까운 사랑했던 고향 마리우폴을 떠나는 것은 상상도 하지 못했습니다.

하지만 2022년, 폭력 사태가 격화되면서 올레와 그의 가족은 도피할 수밖에 없었습니다. 그들은 포격이 잦은 도시인 하르키우에 정착했습니다.

Dr. Oleh holds a photo from his son's graduation in Mariupol, stood in front of a destroyed building.
Dr. Oleh holds a photo from his son's graduation in Mariupol—a moment now frozen in time.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

올렉은 더 이상 그의 가족이 대대로 살았던 마리우폴로 돌아갈 수 없습니다. 아버지는 돌아가셨고 의사인 아들은 우크라이나 중부의 우만으로 피했습니다.

올렉 박사는 하르키우에서 국제구조위원회 이동 의료팀을 이끌며 지역 전역의 도움이 필요한 사람들에게 의사로서 의료 지원을 전하며 변함없이 헌신하고 있습니다.

Hryhorii

Hryhorii Hladysh holds a photo from his wedding with his wife.
Hryhorii Hladysh holds a photo from his wedding with his wife.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

Before the war, Hyrhorii and his wife lived in an apartment in northern Kharkiv, the city where he had spent his entire life.

During the 2022 escalation, the neighborhood sustained severe damage, drawing significant media attention. Hryhorii’s daughter fled to the Netherlands with her mother, but he chose to stay behind, unwilling to leave their home vulnerable to looters.

Since then, Hryhorri’s home has been bombed and he is one of the few residents still living in the building, even though the city plans to demolish it.

He hasn’t seen his wife in two years and misses her deeply. He often reflects on the joy of their wedding day, drawing strength from the memories and the life they have built together.

Hyrhorii stands in one of his neighbor's apartments that was destroyed by shelling.
Hyrhorii stands in one of his neighbor's apartments—it was completely burned out after Russian shelling.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

Kateryna

Shortly after the invasion began, Kateryna moved from the Pivnichna Saltivka district to a neighborhood closer to central Kharkiv after her home was damaged by shelling. Her 16-year-old granddaughter fled to Finland with her mother, but Kateryna decided to stay behind.

Kateryna holds a teddy bear - a toy belonging to her 18-year-old granddaughter.
Kateryna holds a teddy bear - a toy belonging to her 18-year-old granddaughter, who sought safety in Finland.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

Repair work on her apartment is ongoing—with cash assistance from the IRC, Kateryna was able to install radiators, ensuring her apartment will be warm once the building’s heating system is restored.

Now Kateryna hasn’t seen her granddaughter in almost three years and misses her deeply. She still has her favorite toy—a giant teddy bear—as a cherished reminder of their bond.

Andrii

Andrii holds a photo of him on a yacht during his travels before the full-scale war erupted.
Andrii holds a photo of him on a yacht during his travels before the full-scale war erupted.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

Andrii left Ukraine at 22 and spent 20 years working on child protection programs in South Africa. A passionate traveler, he explored the world and especially loved sailing.

However, when the full-scale war began, Andrii made the life-changing decision to return to Ukraine, knowing that, as a male citizen, he wouldn’t be able to leave until the war ended. Nevertheless, he was determined to go back and help in his hometown ofKharkiv. 

In December 2022, he joined the IRC, bringing his expertise in child protection to support those who needed it the most. After spending half his life as a world traveler, he now lives in a country with closed borders—but he has no regrets.

Anastasiia

Anastasiia shows a photo of a happy day spent with her boyfriend at the Kakhovka Reservoir.
Anastasiia shows a photo of a happy day spent with her boyfriend at the Kakhovka Reservoir, before the war.
Photo: Maryna Vereshchaka for IRC

Anastasiia was a student in Donetsk when the war first reached her in 2014. She fled to Kharkiv and, after a few years, began working in the humanitarian sector to support those from her home region.

Anastasiia was continuing her studies in Poland when the full-scale invasion began. Her family remains in eastern Ukraine, and reaching them now involves an exhausting 30-hour journey, spanning three trains from Poland.

Anastasiia remembers a happy day at the Kakhovka Reservoir, before the destruction of the dam and ecological disaster in the region caused devastating floods in 2023. “This photo reminds me of a time when things were good, when you could go wherever you wanted without limitations,” recalls Anastasiia. “On that boat, with my partner beside me, I felt free and alive.”

How is the IRC supporting people in Ukraine?

The IRC is on the ground delivering critical support to those on the frontlines and displaced across Europe.

Inside Ukraine, the IRC is focusing its assistance in areas most heavily affected by the war, particularly in the east and southeast of Ukraine. 

From the start of the escalation until January 2025, IRC mobile health units have delivered over 100,000 consultations to more than 15,000 clients, while more than 100 health facilities have been equipped with donated medicines and essential supplies.

Working alongside local partners, our teams have provided financial assistance to nearly 130,000 people and distributed critical items to over 30,000 individuals. Furthermore, 60,000 women and girls have accessed vital IRC services, and our teams have organized 30,000 sessions for children, helping them reclaim a sense of childhood and begin to heal from the devastating effects of war.