Ukraine 4 years on: Loss, Resilience and the Fight for Ukraine’s Future
Today marks four years since the sirens sounded in Kyiv, signalling the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured. Around 5.9 million Ukrainians have been displaced – many separated from husbands, partners and extended family who remain in the country.
Today is a day for a reality check to acknowledge the cost of war: the lives lost, the families divided, the life-changing injuries endured, and the futures — once carefully imagined — abruptly shattered.
Continuing to support Ukraine’s fight for democratic freedom
Four years on, we must remember not only what Ukraine is fighting against, but what it is fighting for — and how we continue to stand alongside those defending democratic freedom.
This week, our Fellows’ community will convene to discuss a just and green recovery for Ukraine. Environmental damage from the war has had devastating consequences for natural resources, critical ecosystems and people’s health, livelihoods and security. A green recovery means not only repairing environmental damage, but setting Ukraine on a path of long-term environmental and social sustainability – and this is the focus of our current Ukraine Leadership Programme.
Valeriia Melnyk, a lawyer and Fellow in our current cohort, says: “When the full-scale invasion started it brought to my attention, how fragile democratic institutions actually are.” She is now working on restorative justice in relation to the ecocide taking place and says: “I want to be part of a generation that doesn’t just restore what was lost, but reimagines what justice can mean in a changing and interdependent world.”
Watch the video below to hear more from Valeriia about how Ukraine is tackling ecocide and restorative justice.
Growing community of Ukrainian JST Fellows
That work is carried forward by our growing community of Ukrainian Fellows. We currently have more than 100 Fellows from Ukraine. Many remain in the country; others continue their work from abroad — all committed to Ukraine’s freedom and long-term recovery.
Anna Makhlay is a JST Fellow who moved to the UK in 2022 and now works as one of our programme managers. She is a longstanding member of the Cross-Party Group on Ukraine, whose work helps strengthen Scotland–Ukraine cooperation. Anna says: “My role is to be useful to my country wherever I live.”
Maija Paasiaro, JST director, says: “We are a small team, and having Anna with us brings us closer to Ukrainian realities every day and ensures that they remain at the heart of our programming. We are proud of how Anna is finding new ways to connect public institutions, universities and private-sector partners in the UK to support resilience, governance and sustainable recovery in Ukraine. Like the women from our Ukrainian Women’s Leadership Programme, she exemplifies how displaced Ukrainians are building bridges between Ukrainian and Scottish institutions.”
Four years on, the cost of war is undeniable — but so too is the resolve. We remain committed to standing alongside Ukraine’s leaders as they shape a just and free future.
Find out more about our work to support Ukraine