Holocaust survivors among Jewish Ukrainians hit by escalating Russian attacks

Holocaust survivors are among the elderly Jewish Ukrainians whose homes have been damaged in a recent surge of Russian missile and drone attacks, as charities warn that the needs of the country’s ageing Jewish community are rapidly outpacing available support.

World Jewish Relief says dozens of Jewish residents have been affected by strikes in recent weeks, with shattered windows, damaged roofs and unsafe buildings forcing some from their homes.

The attacks are part of an intensified Russian aerial campaign that has included some of the largest bombardments of the war. In recent weeks, Russia has launched waves of missiles and drones across Ukraine, striking cities including Kyiv and Sumy and causing widespread damage to residential neighbourhoods. Kyiv was among the hardest-hit cities during one of the largest assaults, which involved 90 missiles and 600 drones, including the hypersonic Oreshnik missile.

Speaking during a recent World Jewish Relief briefing, chief executive Paul Anticoni OBE described the situation facing Ukraine’s Jewish population as increasingly urgent.

“Ukraine’s Jewish community is one of the most vulnerable Jewish communities worldwide at this moment,” he said.

Anticoni said the charity estimates around 1,000 Jewish homes currently require urgent repairs, but has funding available for only around 20.

The London-based charity has worked in Ukraine for more than 30 years and supports approximately 8,000 older Jewish people through a network of local partners. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, it has provided emergency assistance, welfare support, home care, medical aid and home repairs for vulnerable residents.

Among those now receiving help is 86-year-old Holocaust survivor Ryta, whose apartment in Kyiv was badly damaged in a Russian strike.

Born into a Jewish family in Vinnytsia, Ryta fled the Nazis as a child and lost her father during the Second World War. More than 80 years later, she again found herself living through war when a blast destroyed the windows in her flat.

“We were all covered in glass, and the whole window frame had fallen onto me,” she recalled.

“I’m honestly amazed at how the blast wave shattered the glass into such tiny fragments. It’s terrifying.”

She added: “Everything had to be thrown away. Everything was covered in tiny bits of glass. Now there’s only one wish left… that nothing else lands anywhere nearby.”

After the attack, Ryta was moved elsewhere for safety. However, because she lives with dementia, she became distressed away from familiar surroundings and was eventually able to return home after emergency repairs were carried out.

Her daughter, Natalia, said the ordeal had significantly worsened her mother’s dementia symptoms.

Another survivor receiving assistance is Ida Drobytko, 86, from Sumy.

Born in May 1940, Ida survived the Nazi occupation after her Ukrainian mother concealed her Jewish identity while her father served on the frontline.

More than eight decades later, she, too, has seen her home damaged by war.

In April, a Russian strike left her apartment badly damaged, smashing windows and partially destroying the roof. The building was later deemed unsafe, forcing her to leave. Ida was permitted to return only briefly to collect essential documents and a small number of personal belongings.

“This has been very painful for me,” she said.

“I still cry almost every day because of what happened. The damaged balcony, the leaking roof, and the cracks in my home are constant reminders of that terrible day.

“I hope for support, because I do not know how I can recover from this on my own.”

World Jewish Relief is working with local partners, including Hesed Haim in Sumy and Kyiv-based organisation 2U, to assess damage and carry out emergency repairs.

Julia Goldenberg, director of 2U, said reports of damage began arriving almost immediately after the latest attacks.

“Almost immediately, we began receiving reports of damage to the homes of Jewish community members we support,” she said.

“Two families are living in a block so badly damaged that it may be written off entirely and are currently displaced. With support from World Jewish Relief, we are helping people repair their homes quickly, but many more still need assistance.”

Anticoni said the latest attacks highlighted the continuing toll the war is taking on vulnerable members of Ukraine’s Jewish community.

“Ryta’s story highlights the immense challenges facing Ukraine’s Jewish community after more than four years of war,” he said.

“The physical and psychological toll is profound. Our priority is helping vulnerable Jewish people and beyond repair their homes and stay safe, warm and supported, but with attacks continuing, there are many more people who urgently need our help.”

During the recent briefing, Anticoni warned that the scale of need now far exceeds available resources.

“We’ve repaired three-and-a-half thousand Jewish homes over the last 15 years,” he said. “But today, I estimate there are 1,000 Jewish homes needing urgent repair.”

With attacks continuing and many elderly residents unable or unwilling to leave their communities, aid organisations warn that demand for emergency repairs is likely to keep rising.