"I don’t hear the sirens”: As war on Ukraine intensifies, people with disabilities face deadly toll

In Ukraine, bombs and missile strikes make life nearly impossible for people with disabilities. World Press Photo award winner Julia Kochetova captures their experiences of war – unheard and unseen.

Svitlana could not hear the missiles that hit Chernihiv in the first months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but, just over 1000 days since the war started, she can still feel their intensity deeply.

Svitlana, who is deaf, recalls seeing three other deaf people killed while they were queuing for food aid outside the supermarket where she works, because they were unable to hear the warning sirens. 

“They sat there, waiting for someone to bring them [food]. And then something exploded. It was crazy.”

At the beginning of the war, Chernihiv was under siege by the Russians for three months, and at least 70% of the buildings were destroyed or damaged. For Svitlana, coping with the constant bombardments was even tougher, as she wasn’t able to hear the sirens warning people to seek shelter. 

“I can only see with my eyes. I look out of the window, and if I see people moving, then I am also going to move. I don't hear the sirens. Really, it's very difficult for the deaf.

“I feel [the bombardments] with my body. For months I was sleeping, and for some reason my legs were shaking. I didn't understand what it was. I thought maybe I was nervous. For three months I was wondering what it was, and then I understood.”

The war in Ukraine continues to inflict immeasurable human suffering, deaths and destruction. But, for people living with disabilities – referred to as the "forgotten victims of conflict" by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – the dangers of war are even greater. 

Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, ActionAid released a series of photographs by 2024 World Press Photo Award winner Julia Kochetova highlighting their experiences of the war.

The images tell the stories of Ukrainians trapped in their homes, unable to flee missile strikes because they cannot hear warning sirens or explosions; people unable to seek safety in bomb shelters because they are not accessible to people with disabilities. But they also tell of astounding resilience; of people with disabilities supporting those who have been disabled by the war to adapt to their new reality. 

For Irina, living with blindness is made harder by the war raging in her home city of Kharkiv, where 23 people were killed last week after Russia launched one of its largest drone attacks since invading Ukraine.

“There are people here in Kharkiv, other blind people, who live alone. I can't imagine how they can make sense of all this, when the explosions really bang, and you don't understand where it is coming from, and you see nothing,” said Irina. 

“It's very scary. Considering that every day you could be injured, killed, lose everything you have. But at the same time, life goes on, people somehow get on with it,” she said.

Before the start of the war, more than 2.7 million people in Ukraine were registered as living with a disability. This number is thought to have increased significantly due to injuries resulting from Russia’s military actions.

People with disabilities face difficulties getting around during emergencies. When there are attacks, airstrikes or bombings, they are sometimes unable to flee to safety because the warning systems, evacuation procedures and shelters are not accessible. Critical information about the situation in the country is often not translated into sign language or braille.

With government funds being pumped into the war effort, there are limited public funds to support people with disabilities. In Chernihiv, for example, there are only two sign language interpreters for the whole region, making it nearly impossible for deaf people to communicate during medical appointments or access other essential public services.

In the frontline[CR7] [CG8]  areas of Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, all heavily affected by Russian shelling, ActionAid has been supporting partner organisations to set up protection committees – run by, and for, people with disabilities – which provide much-needed safe places for their members to meet and access essential services. The committees mostly support women[CG9] , who face even greater difficulties [CR10] [CG11] during war. They are currently looking into how they can increase awareness and enhance protection of people with disabilities in Ukraine.

Lena, one of the women supported by ActionAid in Chernihiv, is deaf, and has a son with cerebral palsy. Her son is bed-bound, so when the alarms go off, she cannot go to the basement or seek refugee elsewhere, as it would mean leaving him behind. For Lena and her son, day-to-day life under siege has been an enormous struggle.

“With the war, some services that were available to you before, as a deaf person, they’ve disappeared. I no longer receive any help for my child. There is no rehabilitation or treatment. So he is just left to me. I don’t receive any assistance, benefits, pensions, nothing,” Lena said.

Julia Kochetova, a Ukrainian photographer who won a World Press Photo Award this year for her coverage of the war, said: 

“I was touched by the stories of Lena, Svitlana and the other women we met as they navigate this war and the additional challenges they face - as women, as mothers, as deaf people. It’s incredibly important to give a voice to everyone who is going through the war. A touching lesson for me.”

Nataliia Rudyka, a Protection Officer for ActionAid’s emergency response in Ukraine, said: 

“The past thousand days have been distressing for everyone in Ukraine, but they’ve been especially difficult for people with disabilities who, even in normal times, face huge challenges. Can you imagine not being able to hear the warning sirens or being trapped in your home because you cannot get to a shelter? Living with a disability can be isolating, especially during war. Our partners are providing care and safety and rebuilding much-needed support networks that were lost due to the war.” 

ActionAid recognises that the fastest way to protect the rights of all civilians in Ukraine, including those with disabilities, is for Russia to end its war of aggression.

For more information please contact Charlotte Rose: +44 (0)7838508273 / charlotte.rose@actionaid.org