Social Resilience: The Association of Frontline Cities and Communities proposes an updated concept for supporting people in frontline areas.

More than 2,200 strikes have targeted the healthcare system, with 800 healthcare facilities damaged or destroyed. At the same time, over 250,000 people in Ukraine require physical and psychological support every year, among them are servicemen, veterans, civilians and children.
It is expected that the number of veterans and population affected by the russian aggression may grow to 5–6 million people.
These alarming figures were presented today, 21 November, 2025, in Dnipro during the Forum of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities, “Life Next to the Front: Security, Healthcare, Education, Social Support”. The event brought together representatives of the government, leaders of local self-government and executive authorities, as well as professionals from the medical and social sectors and civil society organisations.

The participants included:
the Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities and Mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov;
Minister for Social Policy, Family and Unity, Denys Ulyutin;
Head of the UNICEF Representation in Ukraine, Munir Mammadzade;
Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitaliy Kim;
Acting Head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, Volodymyr Kohut;
Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Iryna Hrytsai;
as well as heads and representatives of communities from Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Donetsk regions.
The key purpose of the event was to discuss the challenges frontline communities face in the healthcare and social sectors and to define next steps for shaping changes.

“As a result of Russia’s aggression, 44 out of 49 healthcare facilities in Kharkiv alone have been damaged or destroyed, some of them more than once. More than 140 million hryvnias from various funds have already been allocated for repair and reconstruction. This clearly shows that healthcare in frontline regions is a different reality. Furthermore, we witness constant stress, lack of resources, and complicated logistics for doctors and patients. The full-scale war has caused a deep crisis in the healthcare system, and staff shortages are a major part of it. Many professionals were forced to leave frontline areas or quit their jobs because of threats to their lives, loss of housing or emotional burnout. Those who stayed are working in extremely difficult conditions. With each year of the war, these problems become more acute and therefore require updated, more systemic solutions that will enable people in frontline communities – both professionals and patients – to live and work with dignity and in safety, while providing and receiving all the necessary assistance,”
said the Head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities, Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov.

Dnipropetrovsk region, too, faces the daily consequences of the front line’s proximity; seven communities have already been declared active war zones.

“Since the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion, the region has endured nearly 20,000 attacks: 721 people have been killed, including 40 children, and more than 4,380 residents have been injured. The enemy is destroying homes, schools, kindergartens, hospitals and energy infrastructure. We have received about 460,000 internally displaced persons, and we are currently evacuating people from frontline communities in the Synelnykove district and, together with international partners, helping those forced to leave their homes. Dnipropetrovsk region has become a humanitarian, logistical and medical hub: doctors are saving both military personnel and civilians, and we are expanding the network of rehabilitation departments. Despite the difficult conditions, farmers and businesses continue to work. I am grateful to the government, all our partners and everyone who is helping the region respond to the challenges of war,”
noted Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Iryna Hrytsai.

Head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration Volodymyr Kohut focused on the need to strengthen programmes aimed at supporting veterans and their reintegration into society.

“Our task is to preserve the veteran’s family. After returning from the front, many men and women face mental health challenges: Some shut down emotionally, while others separate themselves within their familiar social groups. That is why it is important to create conditions in which the family can stabilise – from joint recovery programmes to sports and cultural initiatives. We are actively working in this direction; there are relevant regional programmes. What needs to be immediately strengthened is the provision of housing, which remains a key need. Even when there are enough jobs and, overall, a decent wage level – without the ability to arrange one’s everyday life, it is difficult to speak about employment or integration. The country is moving in this direction, simplifying procedures, expanding support programmes, and it is very important that the funding of such measures continues,”
summarised Volodymyr Kohut.

Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Vitaliy Kim spoke about the need for changes in support for vulnerable categories of people, particularly veterans and those released from captivity. According to Mr Kim, since 2025, 493 servicemen from the Mykolaiv region have been released from russian captivity. Each of them is contacted individually and provided with support; problematic issues are discussed and stable communication is built.

“A single dedicated phone line has been set up for communication, calls and consultations, and medical, legal, psychological and social assistance is coordinated. Veterans are informed about financial support under the regional programme ‘Care 2024–2026’. But our plans should extend beyond one or two years. We must ensure a system of adequate support for decades to come. Veterans are an important part of our country’s future. This future should not be about lost health, but about new opportunities. This means housing as the foundation for a dignified life after military service, ongoing support from specialists so that a person does not get ‘lost’ in the system, continuous rehabilitation as a step towards normalisation of life and, of course, the creation of conditions for work and economic reintegration,”
said Vitaliy Kim.

Modernisation of medical and social infrastructure, rehabilitation, economic and social reintegration of veterans and their families, and a well-developed system of social services adapted to wartime realities and staff shortages are the solutions that frontline communities especially need today, as they are the first to face the challenges of war.
That is why the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities is proposing an updated concept of government support that will bring together resources from the state, local self-government and international partners to implement practical solutions that will enable communities to build resilience even in areas of constant threat.
The forum also concluded with the announcement that more than 140 communities from Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Poltava regions had joined the Association.
In total, over 350 communities from frontline regions have already signed memorandums of accession and are successfully cooperating within the AFCC.