Four Years On: Women Powering Ukraine’s Resistance

Today marks four years since Russia launched its unprovoked and illegal full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, shattering decades of relative peace in Europe, violating fundamental principles of international law and accelerating a global shift toward securitization, authoritarianism, and revisionism in international affairs. The war has strained international security institutions, including the UN Security Council, and weakened the global commitment to diplomacy, the rule of law, and respect for territorial sovereignty.

Yet, Ukraine’s resistance has also demonstrated what a determined nation—led by courageous women and men—can achieve in the face of existential threat. When many intelligence agencies predicted Kyiv would fall within days, few anticipated the courage and determination or resilience that would follow. Four years later, the nation endures–despite relentless missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, the deaths of Ukrainian service members and civilians, mass atrocities and war crimes, the abduction and forced deportation of Ukrainian children, widespread torture and arbitrary detention, conflict-related sexual violence, the destruction of cultural and religious sites, environmental devastation, and systematic attacks on Ukrainian identity. Its people have defended not only their territory, but the very principles of freedom and self-determination.

However, this past year has been particularly devastating. Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, 2025 has become the deadliest year since 2022. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reports 2,514 civilian deaths and 12,142 injuries—32 percent higher than in 2024. These figures underscore the stark disconnect between negotiations and realities on the ground, and the costs of the war remain deeply gendered.

Conflict-related sexual violence continues to be used as a weapon of war against prisoners of war, political detainees in occupied territories, and civilians in frontline cities. Women and girls face heightened risks of rape and abuse in areas under Russian control. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has documented cases of rape, gang rape, sexual assault, forced nudity, and other forms of sexualized violence committed by Russian forces. These crimes are not incidental—they are tactics of terror aimed at breaking communities and asserting control.

Ukraine is fighting a parallel battle over energy security. Repeated strikes on thermal power plants and energy infrastructure have plunged communities into darkness during one of the harshest and most unpredictable winters in recent memory. Energy providers, including DTEK, alongside government and local authorities, have worked tirelessly to restore the grid, but the scale of destruction is immense. Families rely on generators and portable power systems to survive freezing temperatures. When water and energy systems collapse, caregiving and survival burdens fall disproportionately on women—who are also leading local service delivery and emergency response. 

Climate volatility has compounded these challenges. Scientists at Kyiv-Mohyla University note that climate change is increasing winter temperature variability, making seasonal patterns more extreme and less predictable. The government anticipates cold conditions lasting into early spring, with further cold snaps ahead.

Amid these overlapping crises, Ukrainian women are not only victims of war—they are architects of resilience. Women-led organizations have stepped into the breach to address energy poverty and strengthen community security. The Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation, established in 2022 in response to the invasion, has focused on installing hybrid solar power systems in schools and hospitals damaged by Russian attacks. Through its 100 Solar Schools and 50 Solar Hospitals campaigns, the foundation aims to equip 150 critical institutions with renewable energy solutions, ensuring continuity of education, healthcare, and essential services even under fire.

In the face of bombardment, blackouts, and profound insecurity, Ukrainian women leaders are redefining security itself—linking energy resilience, community protection, and human security. Their leadership underscores a central lesson of the WPS agenda: sustainable peace and security depend not only on ceasefires and negotiations, but on the meaningful participation and leadership of women in rebuilding and safeguarding their nation’s future.

Four years on, Ukraine endures. And Ukrainian women remain essential to powering the country’s survival—and shaping its recovery and future peace.

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