When home feels safe again: the story of Iryna in Ukraine

In northeastern Ukraine, in Sumy region, war is changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every day. Communities bordering Russia, such as Velykyi Bobryk, are under constant threat of new attacks. For local residents, the sounds of explosions and alarms have become part of everyday life.

6 November 2025

Drone attacks

On the night of June 23-24, Velykyi Bobryk suffered a massive drone attack. Twelve explosions were heard in less than an hour and a half. About ten strikes hit one street — of 17 houses, only five remained suitable for restoration. Iryna Eduardivna Usik, 76, a pensioner, was at home that night with her daughter-in-law and 10-year-old granddaughter Oleksandra.

"It was around half past eleven. We heard loud explosions and people screaming. We ran out into the street — one house was on fire, then another, then a third. It was terrifying, beyond words. We went down to the basement and prayed to survive. Now every day I go to bed and think, 'God, please let me wake up tomorrow'," says Iryna.

Immense damage

Fortunately, all the neighbors managed to hide in their cellars. There were no casualties, but almost every family lost their homes or suffered serious damage. The blast wave blew out all the windows and doors in Iryna's house. Oleksandra was forced to continue her online studies in a room with boarded-up windows, where almost no light comes in. “When there is heavy shooting, we have to hide in the basement,” she says.

For hundreds of families in the border communities of Sumy region, such nights are not an exception, but part of reality. Many elderly people have nowhere to evacuate to, and families with children try to stay together, preserving at least a part of their normal life.

Home repairs

Thanks to funding from the European Union, ZOA was able to support Iryna's family in repairing their home. Seven new windows, two doors, and window sills were installed — the minimum necessary for the family to safely survive the winter in their own home.

"Without this help, we would not have been able to cope," says Iryna. "My pension is not even enough to buy medicine. Now that the windows are closed, it is quieter. My child can study at home in the light again, not in the dark."

EU-funded project

This EU-funded project aims to provide rapid assistance to 700 conflict-affected families whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Such targeted interventions are vital, helping people remain in their communities and regain a sense of stability and security.