The Russian invasion has triggered Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II, a new UN report details.
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As the war in Ukraine prepares to enter its third year, the United Nations International Organization for Migration has released an edifying report, Thursday February 22. According to this report, more than 14 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion in winter 2022. Among them, nearly 6.5 million are still refugees abroad. Figures which represent almost a third of the Ukrainian population.
The IOM specifies that in addition to people who have taken refuge abroad, there are some 3.7 million Ukrainians remaining displaced in their country. To date, more than 4.5 million people have returned home, either from abroad or after being displaced within Ukraine. IOM “salutes the government and people of Ukraine for their strength and resilience, as well as Ukraine’s neighboring countries for welcoming those fleeing war”in the words of its general director Amy Pope.
The conflict takes hold over time
“But the conflict persists over time, and needs continue to grow and exceed available resources”said the organization, which received $957 million in donations (around 884 million euros) during the first two years of the conflict.
As the Russian invasion sparked Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II, the United Nations estimates it needs $4.2 billion (€3.88 billion) this year to provide the humanitarian aid needed in Ukraine, but also to refugees abroad. “We are counting on increased support from donors and local partners to meet the challenges ahead of us to provide a better life for Ukrainians”underlined the director general of the UN agency.
Large numbers of Ukrainians who have returned home are now facing “to lasting challenges… including insecurity, loss of livelihoods, total or partial destruction of housing and infrastructure and services under strain”, for his part noted Soda Federico, director of the IOM humanitarian program in the agency’s report on the first two years of the war.