Weekly Update #125
July 22, 2024

General Figures

Refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe 

6,021,400

Last updated July 15 2024

Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay 

Refugees from Ukraine recorded beyond Europe

558,300

Last updated June 13 2024

Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay 

Refugees from Ukraine recorded globally

6,579,700

Last updated July 15 2024

Source: UNHCR collation of statistics made available by the authorities

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Pathways for Regular Migration: Perceptions of Migrant Workers and Recovery in Ukraine - July 2024

This thematic brief provides an evidence base for the development of migration policies and interventions, providing data-driven insights on perceptions of - and challenges to - labour immigration among the general population. The brief provides data on the experience of Ukrainians with migrants prior to the full-scale invasion, how the general population perceives the arrival of migrant workers in the coming years; and identifies potential barriers to integration or sources of tensions, which require a comprehensive response to facilitate safe migration and social cohesion.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has had dramatic consequences for the demographic and economic situation of the country, leaving Ukraine’s prospects for recovery at risk. The war has exacerbated demographic challenges such as low fertility rates and emigration of Ukrainians abroad. An estimated 6,483,500 Ukrainians are currently displaced abroad. Younger population groups were most likely to have left the country, particularly women with children, with over 30 per cent of Ukrainian refugees in Europe estimated to be under 18 years old and 52 per cent between 18 and 59 years old. Factors such as mobilisation may also impact upon population growth in the future.

According to the national census, Ukraine’s population was 48.5 million in 2001. It is projected to decrease by half, reaching 25.2 million by 2051.

The war has also dramatically affected Ukraine’s economy, impacting industries and businesses’ ability to operate, causing large-scale displacement both internally and abroad, as well as resulting in the mobilisation of working age Ukrainians. The resultant labour shortage was identified by Ukrainian employers as the primary challenge they face, ahead of security risks and access to capital. The Ministry of Economy and the ILO estimates that between 4.5 and 8.6 million additional workers are needed over the next ten years in order to achieve the Government’s GDP growth targets. In an eventual post-war scenario of reconstruction and economic recovery, labour needs are set to grow significantly.

Pathways for regular migration are an essential component of Ukraine’s recovery, addressing labour shortages and demographic challenges. The demographic and economic strategies under development by the Government of Ukraine identify the need to attract Ukrainians living abroad back to Ukraine, support women to enter the labour market, and support IDPs to adapt to the labour market demands in their area of displacement, amongst others. While these remain crucial components of Ukraine’s recovery, addressing the current and anticipated labour gap will also require a broader set of instruments and strategies related to immigration.

Source: IOM

In a very challenging context, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) achieved some very notable successes throughout 2023. It was at the forefront of supporting national civil society and enabling a locally led response aligned with OCHA's global strategic priorities.

Particular emphasis was placed on supporting smaller organizations providing much assistance along the front line. In total, over 300 civil society organizations (CSOs) and volunteer groups working as front-line responders accessed UHF funding in 2023 to assist war-affected people, mainly in hard-to-reach areas.

The focus on national actors also enabled the UHF to effectively scale up its response to rapid onset emergencies, such as the response to the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, where national partners who had direct access to the areas most affected were immediately granted additional funding.

UHF’s national partners were also at the forefront of the winter response, supporting emergency repairs, providing solid fuel and heating appliances, cash for rent and energy and cash-based agricultural livelihood assistance to provide safe and warm housing for war-affected people throughout the harsh winter months.

Whilst Country-based Pool Funds (CBPFs) have traditionally funded larger national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the UHF has also created innovative ways to ensure that smaller community-based and volunteer organizations can access direct funding by reducing overly bureaucratic due diligence requirements. As a result, 30 per cent of the US$181 million allocated was provided to national NGOs, of which $57 million was allocated directly.

Recognizing the indispensable role of women-led organizations (WLOs) in crisis response efforts, the UHF also disbursed $9 million to national WLOs, representing almost five per cent of the total UHF allocations.

To more equally share the burden of the risk faced by national actors, the UHF has also worked to ensure the safety and security of national front-line responders by providing a comprehensive duty of care package of support.

Source: OCHA

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Humanitarians’ resilience amid Ukraine’s ongoing war (Stories of strength)

OCHA (Viktoriia Andriievska) has featured stories of humanitarian workers’ experiences in responding to the Ukrainian people. Below are some highlights.

As the war in Ukraine continues to exacerbate the humanitarian situation, local aid workers are helping people in places where humanitarian needs are dire, and the security situation is perilous. Five humanitarians share their coping mechanisms and sources of inspiration in their demanding roles.

Iryna Chorna, who was forced to flee her home twice in 2014 and again in 2022, driver her dedication to humanitarian work from her experience: "I know I have chosen the right path in life. Together with my colleagues, we have opened over 50 child-friendly spaces which provide relief to children across Ukraine. The gratitude and joy I see in their eyes gives me strength and inspiration to carry on."

Oksana, a member of the local organization Humanitarian Mission Proliska, faced personal tragedy when a missile struck her home in January. "I now better understand the harsh reality people in such circumstances face; many are in much worse situations than myself. My job is to help," she says.

"All people hope they will not be left alone in peril," says Hanna, who leads a regional team for the NGO Right to Protection in the southern regions of Ukraine, assisting internally displaced and war-affected people. "People's internal resources are not limitless. Too often, humanitarian workers push themselves beyond their limits to help those in need."

"As the head of a humanitarian organization, I need to ensure that each of our staff has the capacity to cope", says Dmytro Myshenin, the head of NGO Angels of Salvation. "We strive to take care of the well-being of each staff member. The biggest difficulty in our work is the insecurity due to constant shelling, air strikes and blackouts."

The work is intense. "There are moments when you return home and crave solitude," says Lyudmyla from NGO Rokada. "When people reach out to say 'Thank you, I don't know what we would have done without your help.' Such words fill me with joy and drive to continue helping others."

Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2023

The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) has released a report (available in English and Ukrainian) documenting 394 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Ukraine in 2023. The ongoing conflict, initiated by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has left nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory under occupation and has caused extensive damage to civilian and energy infrastructure. Over 12 million Ukrainians have faced energy disruptions, and severe flooding in June 2023 further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, affecting over sixty thousand people. About 40% of the Ukrainian population is estimated to require humanitarian assistance in 2024.

Health care in Ukraine continued to be attacked by Russian Federation military forces in 2023. Many incidents involved health facilities being affected multiple times, notably the Beryslav Central District Hospital which was damaged on six occasions. The number of health worker deaths rose in 2023, with many military medics killed on the front lines. Health facilities continued to be repurposed by Russian forces as military hospitals and used for non-medical purposes in the temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine, with patients and staff forcibly evicted.

Attacks by drones armed with explosives increasingly impacted health care. While the company that had manufactured these drones was not recorded in most incidents, on at least one occasion an Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone damaged Kherson Regional Psychiatric Care Institution and injured a doctor as he tried to evacuate the patients from the facility to a bomb shelter.

“As this war rages on, we are witnessing the impact of protracted conflict on the health care system and the population’s health. For Russia, it’s no longer just about damaging Ukrainian hospitals. It is about controlling the population by depriving them of basic rights, such as access to health care, especially in Russian-occupied territories where critical medical services and medications are denied to those without Russian passports. Additionally, attacks on critical energy infrastructure are designed to instil fear which might limit the functionality of the health care system. These patterns of violence must be investigated by prosecutors and accountability mechanisms,” - Uliana Poltavets, Ukraine Emergency Response Coordinator, Physicians for Human Rights.

The data in this report is compiled from open sources and partner-agency contributions of information, date, time, and location of incidents of violence and obstruction of health care in 2023 and is based on the WHO definition of attacks on health care. Due to this methodology, there are some differences between SHCC’s numbers and other reports. Explore the incidents visually on this interactive map available in English and Ukrainian.

In 2023, health care provision in Ukraine was significantly compromised, especially in Russian-occupied territories and eastern areas near front-line fighting. In Donetska oblast, a third of health facilities were non-functional and another third were partially functioning due to insecurity and damage. This compounded obstacles to accessing health care that already existed in the Russian-occupied territory of Autonomous Crimea as early as 2014, when civilians who did not take up Russian citizenship were barred from receiving medical treatment and obtaining medication. Russian doctors were deployed to replace Ukrainian doctors, causing operational and psychological issues due to differences in practices.

In non-occupied Ukraine, most health facilities remained functional, thanks to the high quality of the health system before the invasion and rapid repairs. However, economic barriers such as rising medication prices and state budget cuts hindered access to treatment. A survey found cost to be the main barrier for one in ten people in front-line areas.

Specialized health services, particularly for cancer, were disrupted due to a lack of equipment and personnel, likely leading to long-term health consequences. The overall damage to health facilities since the invasion began was estimated at USD 2.9 billion as of September 1, 2023, highlighting the need for substantial investment to restore and improve Ukraine's health care system.

Among the report’s recommendations are:

• The International Criminal Court and national courts, through principles of universal jurisdiction, should, at long last, initiate prosecutions for war crimes and crimes against humanity involving attacks on the wounded and sick and on health facilities.

• Governments should cease arms transfers to parties to conflict that engage in grave breaches of international humanitarian law.

• Ministers of Health should engage with their own military and security forces and armed groups to protect health care from violence and strengthen mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of attacks on communities, health workers, and the health system.

• Regional bodies and the UN humanitarian cluster system should expand initiatives to protect health care in conflict and mitigate the impact of violence against it.

Source: Insecurity Insight

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The Ukrainian army pulls out from another eastern village as Russia smashes defensive positions

Ukraine’s army has pulled out from the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region, an official said Thursday, surrendering another front-line position as Russian forces blast Ukrainian defenses in a relentless onslaught.

Russia seized Urozhaine in the early days of the war that began after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. Ukrainian troops recaptured it almost a year ago. Russia’s Defense Ministry had claimed its army retook the village several days ago.

Russia has deployed devastating firepower as it pursues a summer offensive that has reduced towns and villages to ruins, denying Ukrainians defensive cover. Despite valiant defending, analysts say, Ukrainian forces are being pushed back in some places along the front line by the bigger and better e Leaders from across Europe met in England on Thursday to discuss European security and more help for Ukraine.

Kyiv is employing a bend-but-don’t-break strategy to buy time until it can get more Western weapons and ammunition to the front. By ceding some territory, Ukraine has been able to fight from better defended positions, army officials and analysts say.

Ukraine has tried to take the fight to Russia through long-range strikes on rear areas.

Ukrainian sea drones attacked the Russian coast guard base at Lake Donuzlav in occupied Crimea late Wednesday, a Kyiv security official told AP.

Source: AP News

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Ukraine faces twin challenges of fighting Russia and shifting political sands in the US

After almost 30 months of war with Russia, Ukraine’s difficulties on the battlefield are mounting even as its vital support from the United States is increasingly at the mercy of changing political winds.

A six-month delay in military assistance from the U.S., the biggest single contributor to Ukraine, opened the door for the Kremlin’s forces to push on the front line. Ukrainian troops are now fighting to check the slow but gradual gains by Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army.

Here’s a look at Ukraine’s major challenges:

The battlefield

Russia holds 18% of Ukrainian territory, after defensive forces pushed it out of half of the area it seized following its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S. think tank, said in May. In 2014, Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea.

Russia hasn’t accomplished a major battlefield victory since taking the eastern stronghold of Avdiivka in February. But its forces are now pushing in border regions: Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, Donetsk in the east and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

To buy time, Ukraine has employed an elastic defense strategy by ceding some territory to wear down Russian troops until Western supplies reach brigades. But, analysts warn, Russia will undoubtedly win a lengthy war of attrition, unless Ukraine can strike using an element of surprise.

Russia claimed Sunday its forces had taken control of the Donetsk village of Urozhaine, but Ukrainian officials said there was still fighting there. Moscow’s army is aiming to take the nearby strategic hilltop city of Chasiv Yar, which could allow it to drive deeper into Donetsk.

Ukraine’s forces are largely holding back the Russian push around northeastern Kharkiv city, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. The Kremlin’s troops have been trying to get within artillery range of the city and create a buffer zone in the region to prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks.

The power grid

Crippling Ukraine’s electricity supply has been a key goal of Russia’s relentless long-range missile and drone attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the bombardment has destroyed 80% of Ukraine’s thermal power and one-third of its hydroelectric power.

A hard winter likely lies ahead for Ukraine, analysts say.

Ukraine is such a large country that massive air defenses would be needed to protect it all. The country needs 25 Patriot air defense systems to fully defend its airspace, Zelenskyy said Monday.

Ammunition

New deliveries of ammunition to Ukraine are trickling to units along the line of contact, shrinking Kyiv’s heavy disadvantage in artillery shells and allowing it to start stabilizing the front line.

But it will take time for Kyiv’s army to fully replenish its depleted stocks. Ukraine won’t be able to assemble a counteroffensive until late this year at the earliest, military analysts estimate.

Russia, meanwhile, is spending record amounts of money on defense to finance its grinding war of attrition.

Fortifications

Russia’s go-to tactic is to smash towns and villages to pieces, rendering them unlivable and denying Ukrainians defensive cover. Powerful glide bombs flatten buildings. Then the Russian infantry moves in.

Ukraine was late to build defensive lines but its fortifications have improved in recent months, according to analyst reports.

The Russian army has made creeping progress at eastern and southern points along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line but has not recently made any significant breakthrough and its advances have been costly, Ukrainian officials say.

Expanded military conscription

Ukraine in April adopted an expanded military conscription law that aimed to replenish its depleted and exhausted forces.

Zelenskyy said Monday the drive is going well, though the country doesn’t have enough training grounds for the new troops. Also, 14 brigades haven’t yet received their promised Western weapons.

Weaponry

NATO countries have taken steps this month to ensure that Ukraine keeps receiving long-term security aid and military training.

Alliance leaders attending a summit in Washington last week signed a deal to send more Stinger missiles, a portable surface-to-air defense system.

Ukraine is also preparing to receive the first F-16 warplanes donated by European countries.

Even so, Zelenskyy is frustrated. He says Ukraine cannot win the war unless the U.S. scraps its limits on the use of its weapons to attack military targets on Russian soil.

Source: AP News

International consensus needed for peace negotiations -- Zelensky

 Zelensky stated during an interview with the BBC published on July 18 that the world needs to develop a united consensus on a possible end state for the war in Ukraine and present this consensus to Russia in order to encourage Russia to come to the negotiating table.

 Zelensky added that diplomacy will be an important element of restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and that Ukraine does not necessarily need to liberate all of its territory "by force" but must significantly weaken Russia's battlefield position in order to develop a stronger negotiating position for future peace negotiations. Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have consistently presented their vision for a negotiated settlement for the war in Ukraine, which includes the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine's sovereignty and national security against future aggression.

Ukrainian officials have not articulated a willingness to concede territory to Russia in exchange for peace, and Zelensky's statements are consistent with this position. Ukrainian officials continue to signal their willingness to participate in good faith peace negotiations with Russian representatives based on Ukrainian sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law, and Kremlin officials continue to frame such negotiations as outlandish and an "ultimatum" and call for a settlement tantamount to Ukrainian surrender.

Source: ISW

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New UK policy of weapon use by Ukraine

New United Kingdom (UK) Defense Secretary John Healey stated on July 19 that Ukraine can use UK-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia, despite previous reports that the UK had not permitted Ukraine to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets within Russia. Healey told BBC on July 19 that the UK is providing weapons to Ukraine to defend their sovereign country and that "does not preclude [UK-provided weapons] hitting targets in Russia."[10] Healey also stated that Ukrainian forces can strike military targets in Russia with UK-provided weapons "within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law." Healey stated that he would not publicly discuss whether the UK is allowing Ukrainian forces to strike Russian missile launch sites in Russia with UK-provided weapons, however. Healey noted that the UK is "continuing very intense discussions" with Ukraine. Bloomberg reported on July 10 that new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that it is Ukraine's decision how to deploy Storm Shadows missiles for defensive purposes.

Zelensky also asked the UK to show "leadership"' and convince other partners to remove limits on Ukraine using Western-provided weapons to strike legitimate military targets in Russia.

Source: ISW

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Germany provides additional €4 million for children's hospital in Kyiv

Germany has pledged an additional €4 million ($4.4 million) in emergency aid for a children's hospital that was damaged in a recent Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. 

"We are giving four million very quickly as immediate emergency aid, and then we will provide 10 million for the reconstruction of the hospital," German Ambassador Martin Jäger told journalists during a visit to the damaged Okhmatdyt Children's hospital. 

Germany's Development Minister, Svenja Schulze, had already announced €10 million for the reconstruction of the hospital earlier in the week.

Jäger said the emergency aid would be used for medicines and other urgently needed items, including for hospitals that have taken in patients from the children's hospital. 

On July 8, two adults, including a doctor, were killed and more than 30 were injured when a rocket hit a building on the grounds of the Okhmatdyt Children's hospital. It was of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the war began in February 2022.

Source: DW

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk blesses the temporary housing units for internally displaced in Lviv provided through funding from the Knights of Columbus