The role of international charitable organizations in providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable population groups during the Russia-Ukraine confrontation (2014–2021)

Abstract

This article examines the activities of international charitable organizations in supporting vulnerable population groups during the Russia-Ukraine confrontation from 2014 to 2021. The key objectives of the analysis include identifying the regulatory and political context of humanitarian access, outlining the primary areas of humanitarian assistance, and summarizing both the successful outcomes and the systemic challenges that affected the efficiency of aid implementation. Methods. The study adopts an interdisciplinary approach: international legal standards were applied to justify the normative aspects of humanitarian access; a systems-based method enabled the identification of the political landscape influencing the coordination of international humanitarian actors; historical analysis helped to trace the causal factors behind the deployment of humanitarian missions in the Donbas region; and statistical data provided quantitative insights into the scale of vulnerable populations and aid expenditure, contributing to conclusions about the timeliness and effectiveness of the response.

Results. The analysis has shown that during the period 2014–2021, more than two million people across both temporarily occupied and government-controlled areas of Ukraine were in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The response strategies of international charitable organizations focused on mitigating critical supply shortages in food, healthcare, education, and financial resources, addressing the loss of essential services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and reducing risks related to landmine contamination. Conclusions. The analysis also shows that throughout the years of ongoing humanitarian operations in the Donbas region, international organizations demonstrated an ability to adapt in real time to emerging challenges and abuses. This led to annual revisions of crisis response strategies and reinforced cooperation and coordination with governmental institutions, national foundations, and grassroots civil society actors.