A Couple from Donetsk Oblast and 30 Other Evacuees from Frontline Areas Find Shelter Across Ukraine

Anatolii is 89, and his wife, Vira, is 81. They have been together for more than 60 years. Instead of a quiet retirement, war broke into the life of the Shestopalov family. They were forced to leave behind everything they had in Donetsk Oblast: enemy shelling destroyed Anatolii’s family home in the village of Yablunivka, and later they also had to leave their homes in Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka.

After evacuation, the couple spent almost two months at the Center for Social Adaptation of People with Disabilities run by the NGO Ocean of Good in Dnipro, where they received care and support.

🚉 On May 18, the couple and 12 other evacuees travelled to a hospital in Vinkivtsi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, for resettlement as part of the long-term nursing care service developed by the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine. They will be able to stay there for up to 60 days and receive daily care, medicines, meals, essential items, psychological support, and social assistance. After that, social workers at the facility will help look for a permanent place for them to live.

💔 The story of Anatolii and Vira’s rescue is one of thousands. Every day, the EAST SOS team and its partners evacuate people with limited mobility from danger zones, welcoming and supporting evacuees at transit centers. Following their rescue, our specialists assist with temporary housing, document restoration, and long-term relocation efforts in coordination with the Ministry of Social Policy and Donetsk Oblast Military Administration.

👥 Over the past few weeks, another 14 older people and persons with disabilities evacuated from Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Kamianka, Sloviansk, and other settlements in Donetsk Oblast; from Chaplyne and Mezhova in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; and from Novomykolaivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast went for resettlement to hospitals in Kozelshchyna, Novi Sanzhary, Kotelva, and Velyka Bahachka in Poltava Oblast. Four more people found shelter at the residential care department for permanent residence in the village of Nadlak, Kirovohrad Oblast.

🆘 EAST SOS helps people escape danger. Our team supports evacuees at every step – from departure to finding a place where they can be resettled permanently.

📲 Sign up for evacuation by calling: 0 800 332 614 (Monday–Saturday, 8 AM – 6 PM)

Consultations are also available via messengers:

Viber: +38 (099) 710 48 72

Telegram: +38 (096) 108 60 48

БЕК: Recently, EAST SOS, together with the Ministry of Social Policy, provided temporary accommodation for 25 evacuated older people.