After weeks of escalating tensions in the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin began a military invasion of Ukraine Thursday morning. Russian troops entered the capital city Kyiv and other major cities, attacking from land, air, and sea in what is being called the most intense and violent “conventional warfare” in Europe since World War II. As an entire country finds itself under siege, the lives of millions hang in the balance.
International conflict experts predict that the invasion will lead to one of the most significant humanitarian aid crises Europe has seen in modern history as millions are displaced from their homes and seek refuge in nearby European nations like Poland. Ukraine is notoriously disability “unfriendly,” so elderly and disabled Ukrainians were already underserved populations before the invasion and are now most at risk for being unable to escape the conflict and seek refuge.
To better understand the impending humanitarian crisis that will upend the lives of Ukrainian civilians and leave many elderly and disabled Ukrainians vulnerable, a brief discussion of the invasion is necessary to provide some context.
Understanding the invasion
Putin launched the military assault on Thursday after weeks of political posturing and maneuvering. Still, a full-on military invasion was always predicted after Putin spent years stirring up political tensions in countries formerly a part of the Soviet Union like Ukraine, Georgia, and Belarus. Within Ukraine, Putin has stoked separatist movements since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, strategically manufacturing civil unrest, leading to instability throughout the nation.
With these tensions at a fever pitch, Putin has invaded with assault strategies that are designed to be debilitating to civilians as a means of forcing a military surrender. As of Friday morning, reports indicate that Putin is firing missiles into Kyiv, a tactic that shows that shock + awe, and cruelty are the main goals of the invasion. This strategy clarifies that Russia is unconcerned about property or collateral damage or about putting civilians who are unable to flee in grave danger.
Putin’s cruelty is not lost on the citizens of Ukraine as many have abandoned homes to seek refuge along the Polish border where NATO troops are stationed and may offer some protection. This mass exodus and influx of refugees will be the greatest humanitarian crisis Europe has seen likely since World War II.
A humanitarian crisis for Ukrainians with disabilities
While abandoning homes is a heartbreaking decision for any Ukrainian thinking of seeking refuge, leaving is not an option for many Ukrainians who are elderly or have disabilities. Because few Ukrainians own cars, many heading to the border are walking, and a walking journey is not feasible for many with disabilities. Still, even by car, it would be a treacherous trip, especially considering that once there, refugees will likely experience weeks if not months in tent dwellings.
Many are sheltering in underground train stations for those who have chosen to stay as Russian forces are now bombarding cities with missile attacks. With minimal accessible infrastructure in the country, Ukrainians with disabilities are prevented from reaching these underground bomb shelters and escaping missile fire.
Ukraine reports about 2.7 million people with disabilities, roughly 6% of the population. Yet Ukraine is notoriously inaccessible. The country is filled with Soviet-era multi-story apartment buildings with no elevators, while basic accommodations like access ramps and equitable employment opportunities are rare.
Reports indicate that only about 4% of Kyiv’s physical infrastructure has some accessibility, excluding people with disabilities from accessing many public and retail spaces. It was only as recent as 2021 when Ukraine's national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia launched its first accessible trains with dedicated wheelchair space.
Not only is much of the Ukrainian city landscape inaccessible, but disability still carries a heavy social stigma, and those with disabilities are often hidden away and made invisible. With little government infrastructure or policy geared towards accessibility or inclusivity, much of the work in providing care and dignity falls on private organizations and individuals.
Europe’s response to the humanitarian crisis
While the government of Ukraine may not have the policies or infrastructure in place to support citizens with disabilities, the European Disability Forum (EDF) has anticipated the oncoming crisis. On February 24th, 2022, the EDF published an open letter to NATO and European, Russian, and Ukrainian Heads of State asking them to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis facing the disabled populations of Ukraine and to prepare to take action.
Specifically, the open letter requested these entities honor their obligations under Article 11 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies and the UN Security Council Resolution 2475 (2019) on Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Conflict.
Because of the inequitable conditions that many with disabilities already live under in Ukraine, the EDF requested that specific efforts be made to prevent people with disabilities from being abandoned during the invasion, in addition to a request that all citizens with disabilities have full access to humanitarian aid from Europe.
As the military assault escalates and this crisis plays out, only time will tell if Europe’s humanitarian efforts successfully achieve the goals set out by the EDF.
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