Oselya’s resistance in the face of war in Ukraine

The full-scale war began four years ago, with Russia relentlessly bombing the Ukrainian population. 

Our friends at Emmaus Oselya have been standing firm for four years, and are continuing to help the most vulnerable people. Yes, they are tired because their friends and family are on the frontline, in the mud and cold in the trenches, just like during World War I, because their nights are broken up by air raid sirens, just like during World War II, because they are woken by drones, which make a tractor-like noise on approach, a new act of cruelty in this particular war.

On 24 February 2022, a few hours after the invasion began, Grigory, the Emmaus national delegate in Ukraine warned us: “it’s a tragic day for Europe and the world. We need to stay united in the struggle against the madness of this dictator in power in the Kremlin.”

And we have definitely stayed united. This was reflected by over 40 communities and 50 people attending Emmaus Europe’s online Ukraine conference on 24 February 2026. And it is also borne out by the unprecedented contribution made by the Emmaus groups in Europe and around the world to our Ukraine Support Fund.

 “My dream is for the war to end. Then I think life will show me the right path to take. I would like to see my children again. My oldest is in Poland, and the youngest is in Germany, just like my oldest daughter; my other daughter is in Sebastopol (in annexed Crimea), I’d like to be able to see her again.”  Oleksandr O., Oselya companion during the conference. 

The community has seen 29 companions leave for the front over the four years of war. Some 36 new companions have arrived from the conflict zones. They regularly remind us that where they come from, the war started in 2014, with the annexation of Crimea. 

Natalia, the director of Emmaus Oselya, stressed the following point: the war is also and above all impacting civilians and children. “59,000 children have lost at least one of their parents, we are enduring air strikes, terror attacks (the latest took place in Lviv on Saturday 21 February), power cuts, and heating problems. This is our worst ever winter, but we are continuing to progress. (…) One of Oselya’s charity shops has been renovated and expanded thanks to the Ukraine Fund. We now have floor space of 124m2, enabling us to support children and elderly people, who are suffering greatly because of the war. We support 50 people a day in therapeutic workshops.”  Taking care of war victims is also a form of resistance. 

And continuing to dream: despite the war and more than ever before, Oselya has development plans, and ideas for improving support, recycling and better provision for vulnerable people.