In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, close to the active war zone, Viktoria Kolomiets, a 28-year-old woman with a hearing impairment, is caring for about twenty elderly and isolated individuals who are also deaf or hard of hearing. These residents cannot hear warning sirens, drones, or the sounds of explosions, so they rely on others to keep them informed. Many choose to stay in their homes out of fear and because relocating is difficult. Viktoria regularly visits Hanna, an 85-year-old woman living alone. During these visits, she brings food and checks on Hanna’s well-being. Hanna plans to stay in her home this winter and needs firewood to keep warm. Her monthly pension is 3,200 hryvnias, but it no longer arrives at her home due to the danger for the mailman. Without a bank card, Hanna may need to collect her pension in person at the post office. Other volunteers and neighbors also assist her, and she has chosen not to evacuate. In this part of Kramatorsk, a mandatory evacuation has been in place for families with children since August 2026. Viktoria prepares for her next visit with Hanna and says goodbye. She also supports other deaf or hard of hearing individuals, many of whom live at home. Those who are physically able sometimes go shopping on their own, using written lists or pointing to items they need. Viktoria has used sign language since childhood, as she herself is hearing impaired and uses a hearing aid. She refers to the device as her "life preserver" and is afraid of sleeping without it. Her home has been damaged by bombings, with its windows broken three times. She says repairing them is pointless due to the ongoing conflict. Kramatorsk has nearly 3,500 people with disabilities, and despite the dangers, Viktoria intends to stay in her hometown. She helps residents access humanitarian aid and assists with administrative tasks to receive social benefits. A program called the 19,800 initiative, aimed at supporting vulnerable households for the 2026-2027 heating season, is set to begin soon. Liudmyla Snitsarenko, a project coordinator for the Community Development Fund NGO, says that the organization’s representatives have left the area and now offer remote support to those who remain. Previously, about 250 hearing-impaired people lived in the area, but now only 10 to 15 remain. They receive humanitarian aid and are encouraged to evacuate, with information provided to them. They contact the organization’s sign language interpreter, who then connects them with evacuation services. According to the city’s military administration, Kramatorsk still has 45,000 residents, including nearly 3,500 people with disabilities in the first and second categories.