At 1 a.m., as air raid sirens sound and reports of incoming drones begin, decisions are made in minutes: whether a convoy moves at first light, whether a team deploys, whether operations pause or proceed.
Every day in Ukraine, these decisions determine whether assistance reaches those who need it most. Security here is time-critical, operational, and constantly evolving. Movements are planned around curfews, shifting frontlines, and threats that change by the hour. What is safe in the morning may not be safe by afternoon. The war has transformed humanitarian operations. Drones, in particular, have reshaped the environment — fast, unpredictable, and increasingly widespread. The battlefield is less visible, but more dangerous.
“We are seeing threats that are harder to predict and harder to detect,” says Romina Manning, Chief Security Adviser. “Our role is to anticipate, adapt, and translate uncertainty into clear, actionable advice so operations can continue.”
At the Security Information and Operations Centre in Kyiv, the work never stops. Screens track missile strikes, drone activity, infrastructure disruptions, and movement restrictions. Information is constant, but translating it into operational decisions is what matters.
“We are not short of data; what we need is clarity,” says Mimi Huang, Chief of the Security Information and Operations Centre. “What matters is understanding what has changed today—where people can move, where they cannot, and what that means in real time.”
That clarity drives decisions on deployments, convoy movements, and sustaining operations under pressure. Training has become critical as more actors operate closer to the frontline.
“Preparedness here is not abstract,” says Leonie Barnes, Lead Training Coordinator. “We train for scenarios staff may face the next day—first aid after a blast, movements under fire, adapting to drone threats. It has to be practical and immediate.”
Humanitarian delivery is increasingly carried out by national and local partners operating in the highest-risk areas.
“Local partners are often closest to the frontline and taking the greatest risk,” said Olga Scripovscaia in Odesa and Olga Bikbayeva in Mykolaiv, Field Security Coordination Officers. “Our role is to stay close to operations and provide real-time support so aid can reach those who need it safely.”
Despite the risks, resilience defines this environment. Convoys move. Humanitarian work goes on — even under sirens, even after nights of strikes.
Because when security works, operations continue.
And when operations continue, people receive the support they need.
That is why we stay.