Lives Altered by War: Civilian Volunteering amidst the Donbas War in Ukraine

With Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of the Donbas war in 2014, Ukraine faced a new and shocking reality. Amid the turmoil, anxiety, and a critical shortage of resources caused by the violence, civilians swiftly mobilized to respond to urgent humanitarian and military needs.

As fighting engulfed Donbas, ordinary Ukrainians came to the rescue, providing critical aid to the Ukrainian military and caring for the internally displaced. Civilian volunteer networks quickly be...