‘Four years on, this war continues to steal childhoods’
Statement from Peter Power, Executive Director, UNICEF Ireland
DUBLIN, 24 February 2026 – “Extreme sub‑zero temperatures and strikes on homes, schools and energy systems are leaving millions of children in Ukraine struggling to survive.
“More than 2.5 million children remain displaced, both within Ukraine and across Europe, and many have been forced to flee more than once as attacks continue to strike civilian areas. Safety is becoming harder to find, not easier.
“When I visited Ukraine this time last year, I met families who were exhausted but still held on to a sense that the worst might soon be behind them.
“Today, that hope is far more difficult to sustain. Large‑scale missile and drone attacks have intensified, energy systems have been struck again and again, and millions of children have endured days of sub‑zero temperatures without heat, electricity or running water.
“For the youngest children, these conditions are especially dangerous.
Casualties
“More than 3,200 children have been killed or injured since February 2022, and child casualties continue to rise year on year, marking the third consecutive annual increase.
“One in three children cannot attend school in person because over 1,700 education facilities have been damaged or destroyed. Many adolescents say they feel increasingly isolated, and one in four young people aged 15 to 19 report losing hope for their future.
“On top of this, one in five children has lost a relative or friend since 2022, deepening the psychological toll of growing up in a war zone.
Despite these immense challenges, UNICEF and our partners continue to deliver for children across Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
“Last year alone, we reached seven million people, including 2.5 million children, with safe water, healthcare, nutrition support, education, child protection and mental health services. We also worked with national and local authorities to strengthen social services now supporting nearly ten million people.
“The solidarity shown by people across Ireland, along with sustained support from the Irish Government, has played an important part in ensuring children receive the help they need.
Ireland
“Ireland has stood firmly with the people of Ukraine, including the tens of thousands of children who found safety here.
“Their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of the millions still inside Ukraine, must remain a priority. International humanitarian law is clear: civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. Every child has the right to grow up safely — and that right does not diminish with time.
Four years on, the world cannot look away. Ukraine’s children need protection, stability and the chance to rebuild their lives. They deserve nothing less.”
For more information, please contact:
Vivienne Parry | UNICEF Ireland |[email protected] | +353 87 717 5344