Disturbing trend for humanitarian workers in Ukraine
People gather outside a residential building in Kyiv following a Russian air strike on 2 July 2026, in which several people were killed and injured.
– It has become more dangerous to be a humanitarian worker in Ukraine. Last week, two deminers from Norwegian People's Aid were killed. This week, the Ukrainian Red Cross's main warehouse in Kyiv was completely destroyed in a Russian attack, says Norad Director General Gunn Jorid Roset.
Through the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, Norway works with a wide range of partners providing vital assistance to civilians across the country. They carry out search and rescue operations, clear landmines, distribute food and provide essential psychosocial support. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the increasing use of drones is making humanitarian work extremely dangerous.
Norad Director General Gunn Jorid Roset.
– Our partners on the ground are helping civilians, innocent people caught up in war. They are protected under international humanitarian law, yet we see time and again that these protections are not respected. More and more humanitarian workers are risking their own lives to help others, says Roset.
– I am concerned that people carrying out humanitarian work appear to be increasingly subjected to targeted attacks. This is a deeply worrying development.
Key humanitarian partners in Ukraine include UN agencies, the Red Cross, Norwegian People's Aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid and Caritas. Much of the humanitarian response in Ukraine is delivered by local organisations, which often operate under extremely challenging conditions, particularly along the front line.
Read more about Norway's civilian support to Ukraine: What does Norwegian support to Ukraine go towards? | Norad.no
The dangers facing humanitarian workers are not unique to Ukraine.
– Unfortunately, this is not only happening in Ukraine. International humanitarian law is being ignored in many conflicts. The world is becoming a more dangerous place for those whose job is to help others and protect civilians affected by war and conflict, says Roset.
Burnt-out lorries stand outside a destroyed Red Cross warehouse in Kyiv following an air strike. According to the Ukrainian Red Cross, the warehouse, which contained large quantities of emergency relief supplies, was destroyed during Russian overnight attacks on 2 July 2026.