When we think of war, we often imagine bombed bridges, blacked-out cities and broken homes. But one of the most devastating and strategic targets in Ukraine has been less visible: hospitals.

Across the country, operating theatres lie in ruins. Doctors are forced to improvise life-saving surgeries without essential medical equipment. This destruction is not only a humanitarian tragedy – it is also a direct security threat to Europe.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been more than 1,700 confirmed attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since February 2022. Each attack means more than damaged buildings: it means communities without care, families without hope, and a health system pushed to the edge of collapse.

Healthcare as a weapon of war

The systematic targeting of hospitals is deliberate. Destroying healthcare is a way to destroy trust, stability, and hope. It is also a violation of international humanitarian law: under the Geneva Conventions, hospitals and medical workers must be protected, not attacked.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, surgeons face an endless stream of emergencies from drone and missile attacks. Every patient is an emergency case. Without functioning hospitals, entire communities collapse. Families flee, borders are pressured, and instability spreads far beyond Ukraine.

👉 Read the latest updates from our deliveries: https://1forukraine.com/news

Why this matters for Europe

Europe’s stability is built on strong institutions – schools, courts, and hospitals. When hospitals fall, instability ripples across borders. A destroyed hospital in Kharkiv does not stay in Kharkiv – its consequences are felt in Warsaw, Berlin and Stockholm as displaced families seek safety.

Supporting Ukraine’s healthcare system is not just charity. It is strategy. It ensures Europe remains whole, safe, and resilient in the face of aggression.

👉 Learn more in our Why we act article: https://1forukraine.com/why-we-act

A device that decides life or death

At 1 for Ukraine, we have seen how a single device can change everything.

The BOWA Lotus 4 – an advanced surgical tool – enables surgeons to stop massive bleeding in seconds. In Kharkiv, hundreds of lives have already been saved with it.

– Purchase price: €28,000
– Lifetime: 10 years of daily use
– Total surgeries per unit: 14,600
– Cost per surgery: €1.97 – less than half a cup of coffee

☕ One coffee ≈ two surgeries.

👉 Read the story of the first device installation: https://1forukraine.com/blog/bowa-lotus-4-precision-surgery-in-a-warzone/

Transparency as a standard

Every delivery of medical equipment is tracked, documented, and verified. Donors can see exactly how their contribution is used and how many lives it saves. This level of transparency is rare in humanitarian aid – and it sets a new standard.

We believe this is the future of humanitarian aid: transparent, scalable, accountable.

👉 Explore how donations create measurable impact: https://1forukraine.com/why-we-act

Europe’s true frontline

The frontline is not only trenches and artillery. It is also the operating rooms in Ukraine where doctors fight to stop civilians and soldiers from bleeding to death.