Ukraine

UNHCR has been present in Ukraine since 1994, when the Agency supported the repatriation of Crimean Tatars, and concluded a Host Country Agreement with the Government of Ukraine in 1996. In line with its mandate, UNHCR provides protection services and assistance to help refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), war-affected and stateless people access their rights and essential services and find sustainable solutions. In 2014, UNHCR scaled-up its presence in eastern Ukraine to provide humanitarian services and assistance to people impacted by the war. Following the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation in February 2022, UNHCR has further expanded its operation and is now present in Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Kyiv, L’viv, Poltava, Odesa, Uzhhorod, Vinnytsia, as well as in Donetsk and Luhansk in areas under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has resulted in loss of life, separation of family members, loss of homes, belongings, savings and jobs. Inflation and the contracting economy places families and communities who have been torn apart by displacement in an increasingly precarious position. Civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, disrupting the supply and access to gas, electricity and fuel.  Attacks by missiles, rockets and drones continue to pose a risk to the safety and security of millions of Ukrainians.

Approximately one-third of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes and around 5 million are currently displaced within the country, while some 6,3 million are displaced as refugees abroad. It is currently one of the largest human displacement crises in the world.

The humanitarian needs inside Ukraine continue to grow as the war continues and 17.6 million people are considered to be in need of humanitarian assistance according to the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview and Response Plan. IDPs, older persons, and persons with disabilities are among the most vulnerable and severely affected by the war. UNHCR is one of over 650 organisations and partners operating in Ukraine as part of the inter-agency humanitarian response and has expanded the scale and reach of programmes to deliver assistance and services as close as possible to the frontline and in regained areas where people with high vulnerabilities have remained, and to displaced people and returnees.

Additional information

For information about our work in Ukraine:

• For legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection, visit Refworld.