Quick impressions: Chernihiv, Northern Ukraine

By Klara Lindström, 29 January 2026  

The air raids in Chernihiv are almost constant. Hordes of Russian drones, made with Chinese components, cheap plastic and Belarusian SIM cards, traverse this northern frontline region en route to Kyiv. While the world is busy with dramatic headlines, ordinary Ukrainians continue their everyday struggle for survival. Most residents in Chernihiv, as in many other regions, are almost completely without heating and electricity amid freezing temperatures. Russia’s ongoing humanitarian terror against Ukrainian civilians underscores its lack of interest in ending the war. 

The war is deepening socioeconomic and urban-rural disparities. Ukrainian hromadas, particularly in frontline regions such as Chernihiv, face heightened risks of economic decline and depopulation. Eligibility thresholds for state funding, such as minimum enrolment requirements for preschool shelters, often exclude small communities. Limited administrative capacity also prevents smaller communities from accessing international support. European partners could help mitigate these trends by engaging more directly with hromadas, and by increasing investment in local social infrastructure, logistics, connectivity, and opportunities for children and youth in frontline regions.  

Photo: Klara Lindström/SCEEUS

Conflicts have arisen in Chernihiv between the local civilian administration and the military administration, for example over local fiscal autonomy and overlapping responsibilities. EU representatives and stakeholders could play a constructive role as arbiters, helping to clarify responsibilities and encourage compromise in regions like Chernihiv, where civilian and military administrations operate side by side.