- KR Bharat
- 2026-02-20
Nearly four years after the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Russia controls about 20% of Ukraine, with millions of civilians in occupied regions struggling with severe shortages of water, heating, electricity, housing and healthcare.
Areas including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia—illegally annexed by Moscow months after the invasion—are facing deteriorating infrastructure and humanitarian challenges. Even Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged “urgent problems” in the occupied territories, including access to water and medical services.
Human rights groups allege widespread repression, forced Russification policies in education and governance, and the existence of secret detention centers holding thousands of Ukrainian civilians without charge. Residents who fled the regions described fear, surveillance and harsh living conditions, with many accused of sympathising with Kyiv facing detention or abuse.
Cities like Mariupol remain heavily damaged after prolonged sieges, with housing shortages continuing despite population declines. Municipal services in several towns have collapsed, leaving residents dependent on water deliveries and limited medical care.
As the war continues, displaced families recount destruction, separation and hardship, while humanitarian concerns remain high across the conflict-affected regions.
