Support After Evacuation: East SOS Assistance to Yurii from Polohy District
Yurii Marchenko was unable to leave his native village of Varvarivka, near Huliaipole in Polohy district, for a long time. Despite constant enemy attacks, he and his wife remained on the frontline, continuing to care for their farm.
Over time, the security situation deteriorated, and the shelling intensified. In January 2026, Yurii suffered a concussion and sustained serious injuries. Ukrainian military personnel evacuated him to a hospital in Novomykolaivka, where he received the necessary medical treatment. Later, the crew of the Proliska humanitarian mission transported him to a transit center in Zaporizhzhia.
There, he met specialists from East SOS. During conversations with the team, Yurii shared his memories of living under constant russian shelling, including how he sometimes had to take shelter inside large communication pipes to survive attacks.
“Our social worker and lawyers helped Yurii restore his lost passport, open a bank account, and apply for financial assistance related to his injury. We supported him at every stage by organizing transportation and accompaniment to the relevant institutions in the city, as his injuries significantly limited his mobility. We also provided Yurii with a cane, which made it easier for him to move around,” said Valentyna Zakharchenko, Case Manager at East SOS.
After receiving assistance, Yurii traveled to Kryvyi Rih, where his wife and daughter were waiting for him. More than anything, he wanted to see and hug his granddaughter.
Later, during a follow-up phone call, we learned that his wife also required support in applying for payments related to an injury she had sustained on the frontline. Our social worker provided the family with an online consultation and explained the step-by-step procedure for submitting the necessary documents. The Foundation remains in contact with the family and continues to provide remote assistance in resolving their issues.
Social assistance was provided within the framework of the project “Protection and Necessary Psychosocial Support for War-Affected Frontline Residents” with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office.
Legal assistance was delivered within the project “Comprehensive Humanitarian Assistance to Conflict-Affected Ukrainians and Third-Country Nationals in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova,” implemented with the support of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.
Read another story of support from our team in the article “Two Years of Silence: A Social Worker from East SOS Helped Volodymyr Get a Hearing Aid”.
