New York, NY, August 26, 2025. The security situation in eastern Ukraine has sharply deteriorated since late July, with Russian forces making significant advances and threatening densely populated areas of Donetsk oblast. Following a mandatory evacuation order issued by Ukrainian authorities on July 24th, a surge of over 14,000 evacuees occurred between August 1st and 10th, and the exodus continues.
Daily arrivals at the Pavlohrad Transit Center have increased from between 10 and 40 individuals in early July to over 300 in August. Children and families are prioritized for early evacuation, but displacement patterns indicate a broader wave of adult evacuees is expected soon. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), up to 43,500 additional people could be displaced in the coming weeks.
“Most evacuees are fleeing active combat zones by bus, arriving with minimal belongings, no income, and urgent humanitarian needs,” said Ionuț Raita, Country Director of Action Against Hunger in Ukraine. “They lack cash, basic household items, food, transport, and they need immediate mental health support to cope with the stress and make immediate decisions.”
Ukrainian authorities are opening new transit centers to deal with the influx of people who are escaping the war. However, the planned opening of a second transit center in Synelnykove, about 28 miles away from Pavlohrad, was cancelled after the site was shelled on August 9th. With no alternative site operational, pressure on the Pavlohrad Transit Center remains critical, leaving many families at risk of going without assistance.
The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian facilities, constitutes a blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We urge all parties to the conflict to ensure safe humanitarian access and protect displaced populations.
Expanding Action Against Hunger’s Emergency Response
Action Against Hunger has launched a rapid Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) response to support over 1,500 newly displaced individuals. This intervention is part of a broader humanitarian response supported by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).
“Thanks to additional funding ensured by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Action Against Hunger was able to extend assistance to 600 more people beyond the initial August 15th timeline, continuing through the end of the month,” Raita added. “However, due to insufficient funding, several humanitarian actors, have been forced to suspend distributions. Current resources have been insufficient since mid-August.”
Considering the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and the sharp increase in displacement, Action Against Hunger calls on international donors to maintain and strengthen their commitment to supporting the humanitarian response in Ukraine.
