Windows that save lives: Restoring a hospital in Kharkiv for the second time
Published: Jan 20, 2026 Reading time: 2 minutes Share: Share an articleIn Kharkiv, explosions occur almost daily; consequently, medical facilities operate around the clock. A hospital is a place where patients should receive not only medical care, but also feel safe and at ease. Sadly, hospitals, too, are subjected to missile and drone attacks. One hospital in Kharkiv has already been left without windows twice as a result of explosions. Yet, the medical staff never stopped working—because patients’ lives come first. With the support of Ivo Lukačovič—a private Czech donor—, we are helping this facility restore safety and comfort for the second time.
Amid a pile of twisted metal near one of the hospital buildings, it is still possible to recognise an ambulance. However, nearby passenger cars were burned beyond recognition. A guided aerial bomb struck the hospital grounds and the blast wave destroyed everything in its path.
“It flew past the hospital walls, hit a tall tree, and struck the garage,” says Oleksii Datsenko, Medical Director for Surgical Care.
Serhii Tahanskyi, a security guard, was inside a utility building that was almost completely destroyed by the explosion. Incredibly, he escaped with only shock—unlike his beloved dog, Malysh who suffered a concussion.
“There was a very loud explosion. I was covered in dust. I ran outside—everything was burning here and there. We had a dog in the yard; after the blast, he lost some of his hearing,” Serhii recalls.
The strike damaged the hospital building where patients with endocrine diseases, including diabetes, are treated. Not a single window survived.
“The explosion blew out windows on both sides of the endocrinology ward. Both windows and doors were torn out, furniture was damaged. The roof was even lifted,” Oleksii Datsenko explains.
This was already the second attack on the hospital. Earlier, an attack drone damaged the main hospital building.
“In the spring of 2025, after the first explosion, we installed 187 windows in the hospital. Without this, the hospital would have had to seriously curtail operations,” says Yevhen Svyrydov, a Civil Engineer from People in Need.
When the hospital was hit again, we responded, again. Thanks to the support of a private Czech donor, Ivo Lukačovič, we installed and repaired nearly 200 windows.
“Without your help, we simply wouldn’t have managed. These are enormous costs that the hospital just can’t afford,” adds Oleksii Datsenko.
As a frontline city, Kharkiv faces severe challenges in healthcare due to constant shelling and a large number of internally displaced people. Hospitals in the city work under immense pressure. More than ever, people during wartime, must have access to quality medical care. That is why we continue to support medical facilities in Kharkiv—so they can keep working and saving lives.
