{
  "id": 1143373,
  "title": "‘Together, it’s not so scary’: Ukrainian women find refuge amid war and abuse",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/together-its-not-so-scary-ukrainian-women-find-refuge-amid-war-and",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-15T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/08/16/together-its-not-so-scary-ukrainian-women-find-refuge-amid-war-and-abuse/231439"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kyiv, August 16 — Olena's eyes sparkled with joy at the mere mention of her son—an emblem of newfound safety after fleeing her violent ex-husband. Living in an anonymous apartment building in Kyiv since Russia's invasion in 2022, Olena and her toddler have found refuge among other victims of domestic violence and mothers displaced by eastern Ukraine's war. Olena, whose name is altered for privacy, once lost her job and moved to a European Union nation, only to marry and hide her bruises at the hands of her new husband. Divorced and seeking sole custody of her child, she now feels \"much safer\" within the war-torn country compared to her previous life of abuse.\n\nOperating under the support of the Ukrainian Public Health Foundation, a charity backed by international non-profit World Vision, a shelter has housed 150 women and children since 2022. However, with only six placements available at any given time, a lengthy waiting list persists. Shelter director Natalia Lieshukova yearns to assist all women, though the foundation's resources are constrained. The war has exacerbated poverty, with the rate soaring to 41.6% in 2021—up from 21% in 2021, according to World Bank estimates.\n\nHalyna Skipalska, the executive director of the foundation, notes that many mothers at the shelter have endured multiple hardships—like losing their homes or facing mental health issues in their children. Khrystyna, another shelter resident whose name is altered for privacy, gave birth to a baby girl in the coming months. Having moved to Kyiv from a frontline region earlier this year, she found a job but feared returning to her previous life due to her deteriorating financial situation and exposure to Russian bombardment. Her sister facilitated her move to the shelter, offering her a secure environment to raise her child.\n\nThe foundation faces challenges in meeting the increasing demand for speech therapy for war-traumatized children. The Brothers Diana, five, and Bogdan, four, hailing from the destroyed city of Bakhmut, had stopped speaking after witnessing a wall collapse during the conflict. After six months at the shelter, their mother announced the family's need for a house, a swing, and a dog. Lieshukova, moved by the mother's renewed hope, remarked that the family has since relocated to a house in Chernigiv, where the children have begun school.\n\nDespite the ongoing air-raid sirens, Lieshukova emphasizes that the shelter's central corridor serves as the safest refuge during attacks. Olena, holding her son amidst the tranquil hubbub, echoes Lieshukova's sentiment: \"Together, it’s not so scary.\"",
  "summary": "KYIV, Aug 16 — At a mere mention of her son, Olena’s blue eyes lit up—a smile rediscovered after...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}