UNHCR and Vinnytsia Regional State Administration strengthen cooperation to support displaced people and regional recovery
UNHCR and Vinnytsia Regional State Administration strengthen cooperation to support displaced people and regional recovery
Today, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen support for internally displaced people, returnees and others affected by the ongoing war, while contributing to the region’s recovery.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Vinnytsia region has provided shelter and assistance to people forced to flee their homes. Today, the region hosts around 144, 000 internally displaced people. Alongside immediate assistance, displaced people need access to stable housing, essential services, and opportunities to rebuild their lives. Through their cooperation, UNHCR and the regional administration aim to address these needs, support the communities hosting displaced people, and help families find lasting solutions.
“Displaced people bring skills, experience and determination to the communities that welcome them. Practical barriers, from finding suitable housing to restoring documents and accessing services, can make it difficult to start again. By working with the Vinnytsia regional authorities, we can help remove these barriers so people can regain independence, make decisions about their future and take an active part in community life,” said Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth, UNHCR’s Representative in Ukraine.
“UNHCR is an important partner for Vinnytsia region in supporting people affected by the war. Russia has intensified its attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure, including in our region. At the same time, Vinnytsia continues to host around 144,000 internally displaced people, for whom access to housing remains a pressing need.
The memorandum we have signed will strengthen our joint efforts to develop long-term housing solutions for people who have moved to the region because of the war, repair damaged homes and assist families affected by Russian attacks. I thank UNHCR for its partnership and readiness to continue supporting those who need it most,” said Natalia Zabolotna, Head of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration.
Housing is a central area of cooperation, especially through repairs to homes for displaced women, men, girls and boys and the search of sustainable housing solutions for people accommodated in collective sites. This year, UNHCR resumed support for home repairs for displaced people in the region, with work on 40 private homes underway. The memorandum also covers legal assistance, psychosocial support, access to social services, cash assistance, essential household items and winter support. This cooperation builds on assistance already delivered across the region. Since 2022, UNHCR and its partners have provided legal assistance to more than 44,000 people and psychosocial support to more than 30,000. Over 77,000 people received essential relief items between 2022 and 2024.
UNHCR has also supported repairs to 142 homes for displaced people in 2023–2024 and the creation of temporary housing for 14 households in Shypynky in 2024–2025. Repairs to 40 private homes currently underway are scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
In Lukashivka, Ladyzhyn community, the QTochok pilot project will provide fully equipped homes on communal land for 10 displaced families comprising more than 50 people, with completion planned by the end of 2026. Designed for families unable to return home for the foreseeable future, the new settlement will offer long-term housing close to services and employment opportunities in nearby Ladyzhyn.
UNHCR also supports IDP Councils through strategic planning, advice and information activities. Under the memorandum, UNHCR and the regional administration will strengthen links with humanitarian, recovery and development partners and international financial institutions, helping connect emergency assistance with longer-term recovery and lasting solutions for people affected by the war.
