East SOS Evacuated 534 People from Frontline Areas in May with Support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF)

Settlements in Ukraine’s frontline hromadas (communities) remain under daily russian shelling. For many residents, evacuation is the only chance to save their lives.

In May 2026, the East SOS team rescued 534 people from danger. Most were residents of the Donetsk Oblast, including Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Sloviansk.

Alla, 66, and her husband Mykola are among those assisted by our evacuation crew. For the couple, leaving Kramatorsk became a chance for survival. Mykola had recently undergone complex heart surgery, and due to his health condition, the family hesitated to evacuate, worried about how he would handle the journey.

When another russian strike hit just two buildings away from their home, it became clear they had to leave immediately. The East SOS evacuation crew transported the couple to a transit center in Lozova. There, the team first provided psychological support to Alla after everything she had experienced. Logistics managers assisted Mykola with getting the benefits and all the necessary documentation. The couple then continued their journey via evacuation train to relatives in western Ukraine.

Stories like this form the foundation of daily rescue and support for affected people. In May, the East SOS logistics managers at transit centers also provided 453 services, including tailored support for evacuees, assistance in finding further accommodation, and help accessing social and medical services.

Rescue and support are provided within the project “Integrated Comprehensive Support and Protection for Vulnerable Evacuees” implemented by East SOS with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

We recently shared how the Foundation’s team supported evacuees in February-April.