15 million Ukrainians require mental health support amid new war-driven crisis, IRC says

Prefer on Google by Francis Farrell Ukrainian military medics attend a Pysanka making class, the traditional Ukrainian art of decorating eggs at the Repower programme, a mountain retreat designed to support their psychological recovery and mental well-being in Ukraine's western Zakarpattia Oblast on Oct. 26, 2025. (Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images) Ukraine's mental health crisis is deepening as Russia's war enters its fifth year, according to a new International Rescue Committee (IRC) press release published on April 29. The IRC assessment, based on more than 5,000 psychological consultations, estimates that 15 million people in Ukraine now need psychological support , with 60% of those seeking help struggling with anxiety and one in five with depression. The burden is falling heavily on older adults: around 80% of those identified as needing support are over 40, including many over 60, a group more exposed to isolation, mobility problems, chronic illness, and bereavement, the assessment read. The war's cumulative strain has been sharpened by a harsh winter and continued pressure on household budgets, forcing some families to cut back on essentials such as medication, the IRC reported. It added that people seek help not only because of trauma from shelling and explosions, but also due to financial hardship, displacement, and grief. "People continue to live with deep anxiety about the overall situation in the country - uncertain about the future and unable to plan ahead," said IRC psychologist Marharyta Zhulieva. "At times, this collective strain becomes a kind of mass stress, especially when neighbours learn of the loss of someone from their own community." Women remain the majority of those seeking support, while stigma continues to prevent many men from seeking psychological help, the report said. The growing strain on Ukrainians' mental health has deepened as the full-scale war continues with no clear end in sight. "People in Ukraine are no longer seeking one-off crisis assistance - they require long-term, specialised care," said IRC mental health specialist Dr. Hazim Mostafa , who works in the IRC's mission in Ukraine . "Over the past year, we have seen a significant shift: the mental health burden is no longer concentrated among displaced people but is now deeply embedded across the entire population." Stressors have also shifted over time, with early grief giving way to financial distress, reflecting how prolonged war erodes resilience and adds new layers of hardship,  Mostafa added.