Everyday Acts of Ukrainian Resilience

On Wednesday, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 711 drones and destroyed more than a dozen missiles, rebuffing the largest aerial attack since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. War continues to wreak devastation, but beyond the images of carnage, it has also sparked a civic awakening. From supporting veterans, victims of domestic violence, and people with disabilities, communities across Ukraine are spearheading efforts to address inequalities, even as the country fights for its survival.

In today’s Ukraine, resilience means more than just physical security and reconstruction involves more than just bricks and mortar. Ukraine is undergoing a psychological, emotional, and democratic reinvention, a process that requires the strengthening of civic organizations and the empowering of citizens to participate in recovery at the local level. This arsenal is as crucial to defend Ukraine as any missile. Across Europe we see the kind of illiberalism and populism that ensnares a society when communities are left behind—for a country at war the stakes are much higher.

The question of how to reintegrate discharged servicemen and servicewomen—more than 1.3 million and rising—demonstrates how a potential crisis can be a catalyst for change. Transitioning from the intensity of the frontlines to civilian life is a daunting prospect for veterans and communities alike. But with government policy still evolving, locally-led initiatives like Space of Opportunities and the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities are stepping up. Alongside rolling out a digital tool to pinpoint veterans’ needs they are training support specialists in local government to ensure that communities are equipped to meet them. By establishing career development centers working with human resources specialists to promote their employability, and establishing committees to harness their leadership potential, veterans’ returns will not be seen as a burden for towns and villages, but as an opportunity for civic engagement and economic growth.

Supporting people with disabilities to become a forceful human rights movement is another area where community-led change is redefining the social contract. In Ukraine, more than 34,000 people with disabilities and elderly people live in residential institutions where their rights and freedoms are restricted. The Fight For Right initiative is at the forefront of a quiet but tectonic shift to dismantle Ukraine’s Soviet-era institutional care system, advocating for a transition into independent living within communities. Their team of volunteers, many disabled themselves, also: provide targeted assistance including evacuations; as well as advocate for legal change, countering stereotypes through their online platform diukraine.info, and raising awareness inside and outside the country about the impact of war on disabled people.

While systemic reform is crucial, so too is the emotional recovery of those who have been affected by war on two fronts. In the northern city of Chernihiv, where the population endured occupation and shelling, the St. Olga Women’s Hub offers more than shelter; it provides a healing environment for women and children who have suffered domestic violence. Through its multifaceted role as daycare center, psychological support service, and employment advisory, children can benefit from creative and educational developmental activities, English language lessons, and speech therapy, while women consult with social workers on legal advice, financial planning, and business training, alongside therapeutic rehabilitation classes. The hub underscores how recovery begins with emotional security and how local partnerships can help survivors rebuild their home life and create a positive vision for the future.

These examples represent a society not merely surviving but seizing this moment to redefine itself. Throughout the full-scale war, a dense web of horizontal civic ties has transformed Ukrainian society, helping it break free from the atomized and rigid structures of the post-Soviet past. The challenge now is to take these from innovations and adaptations born out of crisis into enduring norms embraced by both the public and the government. Legal protections and socioeconomic inclusion of the hardest-hit communities should be maintained long after the air raid sirens finally fall silent. If policymakers empower civil society to expand the scope of their work and incorporate their efforts at national level, the country could foster a new culture rooted in social responsibility and trust.

Against a backdrop of ceaseless bombardment, everyday acts of resilience are laying the foundation for a more just, inclusive, and participatory society in Ukraine. What emerges from this war may not only define the country’s future but offer a blueprint for democratic renewal far beyond its borders.