Weekly Update #16
June 14

OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SITUATION

Individual refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe

4,904,207

Last updated 09 Jun 2022

Refugees from Ukraine registered for Temporary Protection or similar national protection schemes in EuropeJSON

3,206,642

Last updated 09 Jun 2022

Border crossings from Ukraine (since 24 February 2022)*JSON

7,363,623

Last updated 09 Jun 2022

Border crossings to Ukraine (since 28 February 2022)**JSON

2,387,834

Last updated 09 Jun 2022

Refugees from Ukraine across Europe (as of 7 June 2022)

THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Highlights

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified more than 9,400 civilian causalities in Ukraine since 24 February. According to OHCHR, as of 7 June, the number of civilian casualties stands at 9,444 in the country: 4,266 killed and 5,178 injured, according to OHCHR. More than half (5,412) of all casualties so far verified have been recorded in GCA and NGCA of Donetska and Luhanska oblasts.

DISPLACEMENT

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reported that more than 4.8 million individual refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe, including over 3.2 million Ukrainians who have applied for protection. In addition, according to UNHCR, some 7.2 million border crossings from Ukraine have been registered since 24 February, while 2.3 million border crossings back to Ukraine have been registered since 28 February.

FOOD SECURITY

The impending food crisis brought about by the war continues to be a priority concern. WFP warns that acute hunger globally is expected to rise by 47 million people due to the war in Ukraine. The UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad emphasized that some 1.5 billion people around the world are in need of the trapped food and fertilizers, adding that he hoped the negotiations “really go in a smooth manner and be concluded as soon as possible so that the blockade of ports and the resumption of export of fertilizer and food takes place before we have another crisis in hand”.

HUMAN RIGHTS

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on 3 June announced that members of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine would undertake their first mission to the country from 7 to 16 June. HRC said that the commissioners intend to visit several locations in Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Kyiv (Kyivska oblast, north), Lviv (Lvivska oblast) and Sumy (Sumska oblast), “to get first-hand information on alleged human rights violations and abuses, and international humanitarian law violations, and to meet with victims, witnesses and internally displaced persons.”

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine is a independent body mandated by HRC to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian law in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The commissioners are to hold a press conference toward the conclusion of their mission on 15 June, and then the commission is to submit reports on its activities to the General Assembly in October and to the HRC next March.

EDUCATION

Save the Children, citing Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science, reported that at least 1,888 schools have been damaged or destroyed by shelling and bombardments since the conflict escalated in February– or more than double the number of such attacks recorded in eastern Ukraine from 2014 to 2021, when about 750 schools were damaged, destroyed or forced to close. One devastating result is that the war has disrupted the education of all 7.5 million children who were living in Ukraine at the start of 2022.

HEALTH

The war in Ukraine continues to impact the mental health of millions of Ukrainians. Ukraine’s Ministry of Health estimates that 15 million people might require psychological support and treatment due to war-related trauma and stress, with 3 to 4 million potentially requiring medication-assisted treatment. Multiple UN agencies have also been raising the alarm about the long-term mental health impact of the war in Ukraine.

THE UN RESPONSE

Marking 100 Days Since Russian Federation Invasion of Ukraine, Secretary-General Renews Call for Immediate Halt to Violence

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

Today marks 100 days since the start of the 24 February Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has already taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions of people, resulted in unacceptable violations of human rights and is inflaming a three-dimensional global crisis — food, energy and finance — that is pummelling the most vulnerable people, countries and economies.

From the first days of the war, the United Nations has been there to support the people of Ukraine in dealing with the humanitarian impact of the conflict, while also drawing attention to the dangers and long-term implications of continued fighting and potential escalation of hostilities for the country, the wider region and the world.

As we mark this tragic day, I renew my call for an immediate halt to violence, for unfettered humanitarian access to all those in need, for safe evacuation of civilians trapped in areas of fighting and for urgent protection of civilians and respect for human rights in accordance with international norms.

The United Nations is committed to the humanitarian effort. But, as I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue. The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end this war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russian Federation and the world. The United Nations stands ready to support all such efforts.

OVERALL RESPONSE

In the press briefing on June 10, 2022 by the spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General, it was reported that more than 8.1 million people was reached with aid since 24 February. In the past week alone, the UN and its humanitarian partners have reached more than 350,000 people (press.un.org/en/2022/db220610.doc.htm)

Over 6.7 million people have received food aid, while nearly 1.7 million have been reached with cash assistance, which is critical amid soaring prices of goods and shrinking job opportunities, after 107 days of war. More than 3.3 million people have been able to get access to clean water and improved sanitation, a surge from over 400,000 people just a couple of weeks ago. Additionally, 2.7 million people have been able to access health care services.

Despite this unprecedented response, the number of people reached is just half of the nearly 16 million people who need urgent humanitarian aid in Ukraine. This is due to the lack of access because of ongoing hostilities, as well as landmines and the destruction of roads, particularly in the eastern oblasts of Donetska and Luhanska. Humanitarian operations are also extremely limited in some parts of southern Ukraine, including in Kherson. As of today, we have received nearly $1.7 billion — that is 74 per cent of the funding required until the end of August. We continue to call on donors to give generously as soon as possible so we can support every person in need.

The UN has already reached 7.8 million people with a range of life-saving humanitarian assistance and support, including health care, food, water, shelter, and multipurpose cash assistance (https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/). The UN and its humanitarian partners have also been actively working to send humanitarian convoys to previously affected areas and currently hard-hit settlements in Ukraine, including Chernihiv in the north, Sumy in the north-east, Kharkiv and Sievierodonetsk in the east.Moreover, in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the UN supported the evacuation of over 600 civilians from the Azovstal steelworks located in the city on the north coast of the Azov Sea, Mariupol, and surrounding areas.

UN AGENCY RESPONSE

UKRAINE - a total of 1.3 million people reached with assistance:

As of 9 June :

• 502,386 people reached with essential food and non-food items, winter clothes and shelter materials

• 516,251 people enrolled for multipurpose cash assistance. 166,630 have received their first payment

• 263,150 people received protection assistance, advice and referrals at border crossing points, transit and reception centres and through hotlines

• 84,550 people received assistance through humanitarian convoys delivered to hard-hit areas

• 63,688 sleeping spaces created / improved in 182 reception centres and collective centres

Ukraine receives a large proportion of the UNHCR assistance. A key role of UNHCR is the coordination of the humanitarian response at the country level. This is essential in keeping the country response relevant and timely as well as providing the needed support to local stakeholders.

In this respect, UNHCR leads the Protection and Shelter Clusters as well as the Camp Coordination Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster which was activated as of 1 March in Ukraine. In addition, as co-lead of the Logistics Working Group in Ukraine, UNHCR is facilitating the movement of humanitarian convoys in coordination with OCHA. In Hungary, it leads the Refugee Coordination Forum; in Moldova, it facilitates the Inter-Agency Coordination Group which it represents at the Single Emergency Management Center under the Prime Minister’s Office; in Poland, it leads the overarching refugee coordination structure; in Romania, it guides the multi-sectoral refugee coordination structure; and n Slovakia, it co-chairs with the government the Refugee Consultation Forum.

UNHCR extends a broad range of services – protection, multipurpose cash assistance, and core relief items – to the displaced populations in Ukraine and to refugees in the neighboring countries

UKRAINE

Protection

263,150 people received protection assistance, advice and referrals at border crossing points, transit and reception centres and through hotlines. This includes protection counselling and services, including psychosocial support and legal aid. 109,748 people have received protection information, support or counselling; 89,708 people received information and counselling through hotlines; 27,046 people received legal counselling or assistance; 24,932 people received psychosocial support or psychological first aid; 6,887 received social support. This is in addition to 3,263 protection monitoring missions.

Multipurpose cash assistance

Since the beginning of cash enrolment in Ukraine on 17 March, 516,251 people have been enrolled by UNHCR to receive cash assistance.

UNHCR has scaled up the cash assistance programme in eastern and central Ukraine with higher numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and new arrivals. Some 70 enrolment sites are operational across 12 oblasts, including Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in the east.

Core relief items

To date, 502,386 people have benefitted from core relief items and food assistance across eastern, central and western Ukraine. UNHCR, as part of inter-agency humanitarian convoys, has reached 84,450 people in the hardest hit areas with life-saving assistance since the beginning of the war.

To date, UNHCR has supported 182 reception centres and collective centres run by the Government to increase their capacity to host IDPs.

Regional

Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia have received assistance from UNHCR in their response to the Ukraine populations who have entered their countries. Like Ukraine, they receive the full range of support – protection, cash assistance, core relief items – while addressing particular needs of the individual country. The highlights of this support are shown in the table below.

Specific country-level assistance are shown below:

Country Highlights

Hungary

• 24,091 Refugees registered for temporary protection

• Over 11,200 people provided with protection support by UNHCR and partners, including legal information provision, counselling and psychosocial support (since 21 March)

• 1 Blue Dot operational in Záhony

• 1,400 people trained on core humanitarian principles, gender-based violence (GBV), safe disclosure and referrals, protection from sexu al exploitation and abuse (PSEA)

• Over 62,000 visits to the UNHCR Hungary Help page

Moldova

• 60,074 people have received multipurpose cash assistance

• Some 1,500 refugees departed to Austria, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Switzerland as part of the EU Solidarity Platform

• 7 Blue Dots are now operational. Overall, 11,000 people have been supported at the Blue Dots as of 6 June

• 35,223 refugees received protection information or counselling through UNHCR and partners

• 14,751 people received protection support via the UNHCR-managed ‘Green Line’ helpline

• Over 160,000 visits to the UNHCR Moldova Help page

Poland

• 1,152,364 Refugees registered for temporary protection

• 175,300 refugees enrolled for multipurpose cash assistance as of 6 June from a target of 360,000 people

• 12 Blue Dots operating with 15,000 people supported as of 06 June

• Over 2 million visits to the UNHCR Poland Help Page

• More than 684 people trained on protection issues, including anti-trafficking and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)

Romania

• 34,758 Refugees registered for temporary protection

• Some 6,200 refugees enrolled for cash assistance as of 6 June

• Over 19,760 refugees provided with information and counselling in person or over the phone

• 9 Blue Dots, including 5 Light Blue Dots, operating in Romania

• 11,032 people supported to travel to Romania from Moldova through fast-track transfers

• Over 45,700 visits to the UNHCR Romania Help page

Slovakia

• 77,141 Refugees registered for temporary protection

• 5,389 refugees enrolled for cash assistance as of 6 June from an enrolment target of 57,500 people, of which UNHCR will support 34,500 people

• 1 Blue Dot operating in Slovakia

• Over 330 people trained, including frontline humanitarian workers, cash enumerators, and police trained on protection, including GBV, safe disclosures, PSEA and AAP

• Over 67,216 visits to the UNHCR Slovakia Help page

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

As of 2 June, Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster partners, with the coordination of WFP, have reached over 6.6 million people, 2 per cent more compared with 26 May.

In May, WFP assisted nearly 2.3 million displaced and conflict-affected people with food and cash throughout Ukraine.

WFP cash assistance was scaled up successfully this month with around USD 65 million cash transfers provided to close to 890,000 IDPs across all Ukraine oblasts

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

As of 2 June, Health Cluster partners have reached over 2.7 million people, 3 per cent more compared with 26 May.

As of 27 May, over 2 million children and women have been able to access primary health care in UNICEF-supported facilities.

WHO announced on 2 June that, to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction process – being led by the Government of Ukraine, with national and international partners – WHO has prepared a policy note outlining strategic directions for health system recovery in the short and longer term, while sustaining essential health services during the ongoing conflict.

The policy note identifies five principles, or tenets, that may be used as criteria to assess potential investments in health system recovery in Ukraine, aimed at transforming the system to enable optimal delivery of quality individual and public health services to the population, rather than merely rebuilding what was destroyed by the war.

UNICEF

UNICEF carries out a package of key services – education, protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as cash assistance for displaced populations in Ukraine and its neighboring countries.

In Ukraine, efforts have focused on delivering online education as the Ministry of Education has reported that 1,755 educational facilities have been damaged and 184 destroyed. Despite the extensive destruction, As of 27 May, thanks to UNICEF’s efforts, nearly 188,000 children have been able to access formal and non-formal education, including early learning. In addition, more than 21,500 children have been able to access PSS, social and emotional learning, or life skills education.

Protecting children remains a critical pillar of the immediate humanitarian response in surrounding countries. As of 27 May, over 612,000 children and caregivers have been able to access mental health and PSS. As of 27 May, over 16,500 women, girls and boys have benefitted from GBV, violence against children-related response interventions. As of 27 May, in addition, over 16,500 women, girls and boys have benefitted from GBV, violence against children-related response interventions (https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/).

UNICEF-UNHCR Blue Dots in neighboring countries provided integrated services, ranging from referrals, protection services, identification and reunification, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), social protection, education, health to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). 25 UNICEF-UNHCR Blue Dots are operational (7 Moldova, 7 Romania, 4 Poland, 2 Italy, 4 Bulgaria, 1 Slovakia) with capacity of reaching up to 1,000 people daily, including 500 children, with referrals, protection services, identification and reunification, mental health and psychosocial support, social protection, education, health and WASH, in collaboration with a network of humanitarian organizations in these countries (UNICEF ECAR Humanitarian Situation Report No. 12 (Refugee Response) 19- 26 May 2022.pdf)

As of 27 May, thanks to UNICEF’s efforts, over 2.1 million people have been able to access a sufficient quantity of safe water for drinking and domestic needs.

In the area of cash assistance, UNICEF has reached over 6,500 households.

HIGH PROFILE CATHOLIC VISITS TO UKRAINE

Archbishop Bertram Meier (Augsburg) visited Ukraine as the representative of the German Bishops Conference (DBK) on June 1-4. Archbishop is the Chair of the Commission for International Church Affairs of the DBK.

Press release by DBK in German

Summary of Archbishop’s Visit in Eglish

POPE FRANCIS ON UKRAINE

On June 12, after the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis mentioned the war in Ukraine to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square in the following words:

“The thought of the people of Ukraine, afflicted by war, remains vivid in my heart. Let the passage of time not temper our grief and concern for that suffering population. Please, let us not grow accustomed to this tragic situation! Let us always keep it in our hearts.”

Both Fr. Fabio Baggio, cs, and Msgr. Robert Vitillo met Mr. Mark McGreevy, President and Mr. Matthew Carter, CEO, of Depaul International, as well as Fr. Vitaliy Nowak, CM, Coordinator of Depaul’s Ukraine Response, at the Vincentian Family (Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, St. Vincent DePaul Society, and AIC,) at the FAMVIN CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES, IDPS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, “Accompanying the Journey of a Refugee,” 7-9 JUNE 2022, in Seville, Spain. Msgr. Vitillo shared information about the Catholic Response for Ukraine (CR4U) and invited participation of this organization in CR4U meetings and information briefs.