Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, healthcare facilities have been targeted in 2,591 documented attacks, according to a report by the human rights organization Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). These incidents are described not as isolated events but as part of a broader, systematic strategy that poses long-term threats to the health and survival of Ukrainian civilians.
The PHR report highlights a significant increase in such attacks, with recorded incidents rising from 445 in 2024 to 663 in 2025, marking an almost 50% increase. The organization has documented the following impacts during the ongoing conflict:
- 1,389 attacks damaging or destroying hospitals and clinics
- 235 assaults on ambulances
- 359 medical personnel killed
- 379 medical personnel injured
- 127 attacks affecting pediatric medical care
- 94 attacks impacting maternal healthcare
As the fourth anniversary of the invasion approaches on February 24, the continuous assaults on the healthcare system are causing extensive physical and psychological harm throughout the country. Ulyana Poltavets, PHR’s program coordinator in Ukraine, emphasized that these attacks are a persistent feature of Russia’s military strategy, targeting civilian infrastructure.
Poltavets stated, “From bombed and looted hospitals to repeated power outages disrupting essential care, and attacks on transport hindering emergency responses and medicine delivery, Russia’s relentless campaign undermines access to healthcare, weakens community resilience, and endangers civilian lives. Collectively, these attacks gradually erode the capacity of civilians to survive, recover, and rebuild.”
Dr. Lesya Lysytsia from Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt Hospital noted the complications arising from these attacks, including the departure of some medical professionals and the mobilization of others. She remarked, “The number of neglected health cases is rising. For instance, people are hesitant to seek help, allowing their conditions to worsen. This includes cancer, cardiovascular, endocrine, and other diseases.”
Despite extensive documentation of these attacks, accountability for the assaults on healthcare facilities remains alarmingly low. Investigations and peace negotiations often overlook these violations, posing significant risks for the Ukrainian population and its recovery prospects.
The report indicates that at the beginning of the invasion, most attacks were executed using ground-based weaponry, including artillery and rocket systems. However, the rapid expansion of drone usage has altered the nature of these assaults.
In recent months, there has been a marked increase in the deployment of reconnaissance and strike drones, which disrupt medical evacuations, emergency responses, and aid delivery, often through repeated or “double” strikes on rescuers.
Analysts have pointed out that in frontline areas, access to medical assistance is severely restricted due to damaged infrastructure, high medication costs, and a lack of transportation. Attacks on maternity hospitals have forced women to give birth under increasingly dangerous conditions, contributing to a 37% rise in maternal mortality in 2024.
“The number of deaths nearly 2.8 times exceeds the number of births, placing Ukraine among the countries with the highest mortality rates in the world,” the organization concluded.
In January, the Ministry of Health confirmed that 2,551 healthcare facilities across 817 medical institutions had been damaged or destroyed due to Russian aggression. Russian forces regularly target Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure using various weaponry, including strike drones, missiles, and multiple rocket launchers.
Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these attacks as war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, emphasizing their deliberate nature. Strikes on vital systems and healthcare facilities aimed at depriving people of electricity, heat, water, communication, and medical assistance are indicative of genocidal actions.
The Russian leadership denies that its military intentionally targets civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and energy and water supply facilities, resulting in civilian casualties and destruction.
The report by Physicians for Human Rights reveals a systematic strategy behind the attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities, highlighting a significant increase in incidents. These assaults not only threaten immediate medical assistance but also pose long-term risks to the health and survival of civilians amidst ongoing conflict.