A destroyed building in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Ukraine: UN-supported repairs enable thousands of families to qualify for compensation Humanitarian aid
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is helping Ukrainians restore common areas in apartment buildings damaged during the war. This allows families to become eligible for government compensation and begin rebuilding their homes.
Since 2023, UNHCR has carried out or supported renovation work in more than 100 apartment buildings. Thanks to this, more than 7,500 families became eligible to apply for compensation within the framework of the state program “єVіdnovlennya”.
Removing barriers
According to the rules, apartment owners can apply for compensation only after common areas – such as roofs, staircases, porches or windows – have been restored and declared safe. In many war-damaged buildings, the cost of repairing these spaces is too high for local residents.
UNHCR is removing this barrier to receiving payments. Repair work is carried out both by contractors and by providing construction materials to local authorities, which complements the efforts of the residents themselves.
In 2025 alone, the UN Office assisted in repairs in the Chernihiv, Kharkov, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk and Nikolaev regions, providing more than 1,700 families (a total of 3 250 people) opportunity to apply for compensation.
Integrated approach
This activity is part of a broader approach to ensure that displaced and war-affected Ukrainians can receive payments under the government scheme.
Together with local NGO partners, the Office provides legal advice to help people regain rights to housing, land and property, obtain basic documents, confirm ownership or complete the inheritance procedures required to apply. In 2025, UNHCR provided 39 thousand legal advice that helped Ukrainians navigate procedures and overcome administrative obstacles; More than 2,200 records or title restoration cases have been successfully resolved.
“Through our comprehensive approach to housing and protection, we are ensuring that no one is left behind and that people receive the support they need to access the critical government compensation program that we know serves as a lifeline for many families whose homes were damaged by Russian attacks,” the spokeswoman said UNHCR Ukrainian office Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth.
The humanitarian agency also quickly provides people with materials for emergency housing repairs (such assistance has been provided to more than 565 thousand people since 2022) and supports major repairs (about 55 thousand houses have been repaired since 2022).