Weekly Update #81
September 18

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

369,200

Last updated August 19 2023

Refugees from Ukraine recorded globally

6,199,700

Last updated September 12 2023

Source: UNHCR collation of statistics made available by the authorities

STATUS OF THE CONFLICT

Current Situation

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Sept. 18 that Russia had lost 272,940 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

This number includes 620 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 4,623 tanks, 8,834 armored fighting vehicles, 8,571 vehicles and fuel tanks, 6,027 artillery systems, 776 multiple launch rocket systems, 525 air defense systems, 315 airplanes, 316 helicopters, 4,742 drones, and 20 warships or boats.

Ukraine Reports Some Gains as U.S. Estimates Counteroffensive Only Has Weeks Left

Ukraine is running out of time to realize substantial gains from its summer counteroffensive, according to U.S. General Mark Milley. In an interview with the BBC, Milley estimated that Kyiv had only 30-45 days of fighting left before wetter, colder weather moves in. He emphasized, however, that it was too soon to label the effort a failure, and reporting suggests that Ukraine continues to make incremental advances in Russian-occupied territory. While most recent news surrounding the war has focused on the southern front, Ukraine’s military reported some progress further east near Bakhmut and Donetsk city. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that Ukrainian forces had entered Andriivka, near Bakhmut, a development also reportedly acknowledged by a Russian military blogger. In addition, Maliar claimed that gains were made near Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut, and the Donetsk airport, although international media outlets could not confirm these assertions. The reported advances amounted to only a few square kilometers, underscoring the attritional, grinding nature of the current conflict.

During a visit to Kyiv last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged an additional $1 billion to support Ukraine’s war effort. In addition to the promised monetary aid, the Biden administration appears increasingly likely to send long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, although an official spokesperson stated that a final decision had not yet been made. Ukraine has long coveted the systems, which have significantly greater range than the U.S.-supplied HIMARS, but Washington has resisted sending them over concerns they may be viewed as an escalation by Russia. The U.S. also said that it would send controversial depleted uranium tank shells.
Russia seems to be taking steps to bolster its own munitions stocks. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days, leading to fears that the two countries may be close to announcing an arms deal that could see North Korea supply Russia with artillery shells and rockets.
Beginning today, Romania and the U.S. are holding joint naval exercises in the Black Sea and Danube Delta, according to the Romanian navy. While not explicitly connected to the war, Russia has continued to target Ukraine’s ports on the Danube River in an effort to disrupt grain exports.
Russia held elections over the weekend in the territories it occupies in Ukraine. Officials in the regions said that the vote was subject to “sabotage,” while Kyiv and the West denounced them as sham votes in violation of international law.

Researched and written by the Global Intelligence Team at AlertMedia

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Continuing conflict

Ukraine’s Operations in Bakhmut Have Kept Russian Reserves Away from the South

Ukrainian forces are celebrating the liberation of two small towns south of Bakhmut, but Ukraine’s entire effort first to defend and now to conduct counter-offensive operations around Bakhmut has been the subject of much unwarranted criticism. Ukraine's defensive and counteroffensive operations in the Bakhmut area since summer 2022 are an operationally sound undertaking that has fixed a large amount of Russian combat power that would otherwise have been available to reinforce Russian defenses in southern Ukraine. Elements of two of Russia’s four Airborne (VDV) divisions and three of Russia’s four VDV separate brigades are currently defending the Bakhmut area. This significant Ukrainian achievement has helped prevent Russia from creating a large mobile VDV operational reserve that could have been used to stop the main Ukrainian counteroffensive effort in Zaporizhia Oblast. Continued large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive efforts around Bakhmut are necessary to keep Russian forces fixed in that area, as the likely recent redeployment of a detachment of one VDV separate brigade from near Bakhmut to southern Ukraine shows how eager the Russians are to recoup the combat power that the Ukrainian counteroffensive around Bakhmut is fixing there.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the slow progress during the counteroffensive during Scott Pelley's 60 Minutes programme on CBS, saying it is now important for Ukrainian defenders to move forward, even if only for short distances, and not give Putin a break.

Ukraine and Russia each fire 40,000 shells per day across the front line, which stretches over 1,000 kilometers through Ukrainian territory, CBS reported during a "60 Minutes" interview with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sept. 17.

Ukraine's Armed Forces explain significance of Klishchiivka’s liberation: springboard for further action

By liberating the settlement of Klishchiivka in Donetsk Oblast, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have created a springboard that would allow the development of upcoming offensive operations.

KLISHCHIIVKA. SCREENSHOT BY DEEPSTATEMAP

Jewish pilgrims flock to historic Ukrainian city despite war with Russia

Thousands of Hasidic Jews visit Uman to see the grave of Rabbi Nachman for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, ignoring the threat from Russia’s invasion.

Sources: Al Jazeera

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

(As of September 11)

Total civilian casualties 24 February 2022 to 10 September 2023:

From 24 February 2022, which marked the start of the large-scale armed attack by the Russian Federation, to 10 September 2023, OHCHR recorded 27,149 civilian casualties in the country:

9,614 killed and 17,535 injured.

This included:

21,941 casualties (7,481 killed and 14,460 injured) in territory controlled by the Government when casualties occurred:
- In Donetsk and Luhansk regions: 10,545 casualties (4,262 killed and 6,283 injured); and
- In other regions : 11,396 casualties (3,219 killed and 8,177 injured).

5,208 casualties (2,133 killed and 3,075 injured) in territory occupied by the Russian Federation when casualties occurred:
- In Donetsk and Luhansk regions: 3,581 casualties (794 killed and 2,787 injured); and
- In other regions : 1,627 casualties (1,339 killed and 288 injured).

Civilian casualties from 1 to 10 September 2023

From 1 to 10 September 2023, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 292 civilian casualties in Ukraine:

55 killed (29 men, 21 women, 1 girl, as well as 4 adults whose sex is not yet known), and
237 injured (101 men, 77 women, 7 boys, 2 girls, as well as 50 adults whose sex is not yet known).

Source: United Nations

THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Humanitarian Situation Overview

Against the backdrop of regular missile, drone, and shelling attacks continuing to strike communities and taking a heavy toll on civilians and damaging civil infrastructure across Ukraine, UNHCR launched its winterization response on 1 September for a period of six months.

UNHCR will target 900,000 displaced and war-affected people by providing rapid thermal kits for insulation of homes, distributing and installing heaters, supporting collective sites to ensure readiness for winter, distributing essential winter items, providing cash for rent and energy needs during winter, as well as delivering generators whenever needs arise.

Border monitoring: In the past two weeks, UNHCR partners Right to Protection, NEEKA and The Tenth of April conducted

117 monitoring visits, to the border crossing points with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. During the

monitoring visits 464 people received protection counselling, 98 people received legal assistance, social accompaniment was provided to 12 people and transportation services to nine people.

Coordination: On September 6 - 7 September, a forum for IDP councils from Khersonska, Dnipropetrovska, Donetska

and Zaporizka oblasts was held in Dnipro, organized by local partner Stabilization Support Services through support from

UNHCR. The event was attended by approximately 100 representatives of councils of IDPs, the local administration, charitable foundations, and NGOs to explore solutions for IDPs, as well as inclusion within host communities.

GBV: UNHCR partner Intersos delivered a five-day GBV case management training session with local authorities from

Odesa, Mykolaivska, Kirovohradska, and Cherkaska oblasts, along with UNHCR’s local partner the Tenth of April. The

training included specifics relating to case management for male survivors of GBV, and survivors with disabilities.

Prevention of trafficking: Together with IOM and Right to Protection, UNHCR delivered a training to State Border Guard

Service staff in Chernivsti, Lviv, and Lutsk on the prevention of and response to human trafficking, and the identification

of children at risk, and the application of relevant referral mechanisms.

Housing/NFIs:

CCCM: In Uzhhorod, 105 IDPs who were living in collective sites in educational facilities moved into a newly renovated

centre managed by the Department of Social Policy, and for which UNHCR and partners provided furniture and NFIs. The

centre has capacity for 128 IDPs and will allow educational facilities to resume their original function.

Collective site refurbishment: In Mukachevo in Zakarpatska oblast, UNHCR provided construction materials, including

tiles, paint, cement, flooring, doors, and panels to support the rehabilitation of an IDP collective site, benefitting 28 individuals.

Housing: In the city of Kharkiv, UNHCR finalized durable repair works on 12 houses, allowing families to remain or return

to their homes.

Humanitarian convoys: As part of a recent inter-agency convoy to Vovchansk, in Kharkiv region, in close proximity

to the border with Russia on 6 September, UNHCR provided 1,000 bed linen sets and 600 solar lamps to people

whose houses were damaged by shelling.

Non-Food Items: During the reporting period in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts, 354 recently arriving IDP households

received core-relief items such as kitchen sets, water canisters, LED lamps, hygiene kits, pillows, mattresses, blankets,

towels, bed linen, and blankets as part of a distribution conducted by UNHCR partner Right to Protection. The distribution

addresses the basic needs of vulnerable households.

Winter assistance: In cooperation with local NGO Peremoha, 9,000 items of clothing and 650 pairs of shoes were distributed to vulnerable IDPs in Boryspil, in Kyiv oblast.

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Source: UNHCR Ukraine situation Flash Update #55

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Healing dialogues: The psychological hotline offers support to displaced and war-affected people in Ukraine

According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023 in Ukraine, 22 percent of people affected by the full-scale escalation of the war on Ukraine have mental health disorders ranging from mild depression and anxiety to psychosis, and nearly one in ten people live with a moderate or severe condition. The traumatic events experienced by civilians and the experiences of displacement increase the risk of more severe and complex mental illnesses.

The idea to establish this hotline emerged in July 2022 with the intention of extending psychological services, alongside in-person consultations, to people affected by Russia’s war on Ukraine, offering them prompt assistance.

Psychologists offer consultations covering this wide range of subjects, with crisis interventions being the most frequent. Alina illustrates, “Imagine a person who has returned to their city after displacement, only to find their home ravaged during shelling.

The hotline team comprises ten psychologists, three men and seven women, including Alina, located in various cities across Ukraine: Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lutsk, Lviv, Rivne, and Ternopil. While most team members are local residents, some themselves were displaced by the war and faced similar challenges of the people they are now helping.

Ukraine’s Demography in the Second Year of the Full-Fledged War

Fertility rate in Ukraine is 1.22 birth per woman (2020) and is one of the world's lowest.

BBC - Ukraine war causes birth rate to slump

NPR - Ukraine's birth rate was already dangerously low. Then war broke out

BBC - Premature babies struggling for life in bombed cities

The current birth rate for Ukraine in 2023 is 8.618 births per 1000 people, a 2.25% decline from 2022.

Ukraine should not be associated with orphanages – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed that Ukraine needs to reach the point where orphanages stop existing and all Ukrainian children find homes.

There are currently 15,000 deprived of parental care, 5,000 of them are in state run institutions. This was announced by the head of the Coordination Center for the Development of Family Education and Child Care, Iryna Tulyakova, on the air of "Edynykh Noviny" on September 17, 2023. Most children awaiting adoption are 10-12 years old.

BULLET HOLES | An investigation into Russia’s systemic killings of Ukrainian children

The Kyiv Independent’s findings point to the systemic and deliberate nature of child murders by the Russian military in Ukraine. Our in-depth investigation allowed us to identify those responsible for the killing of a child.

HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE

General Audience - September 13

And please, brothers and sisters, let us continue to pray for peace in the world, especially in tormented Ukraine, whose sufferings are ever present in our minds and hearts.

E per favore, fratelli e sorelle, continuiamo a pregare per la pace nel mondo, specialmente nella martoriata Ucraina, le cui sofferenze sono sempre presenti alla nostra mente e al nostro cuore.

Links to the full text in ITALIAN and ENGLISH

Angelus - September 10, 2023 (Sunday)

And I greet you all, Romans and pilgrims from Italy and various countries, especially the representatives of some parishes in Miami, the Banda de Gaitas del Batallón de San Patricio, the faithful of Pieve del Cairo and Castelnuovo Scrivia, and the Missionary Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. And I continue to pray for the tormented Ukrainian people, and for peace in every land bloodstained by war.

E saluto tutti voi, romani e pellegrini d’Italia e di vari Paesi, in particolare i rappresentanti di alcune parrocchie di Miami, la Banda de Gaitas del Batallón de San Patricio, i fedeli di Pieve del Cairo e di Castelnuovo Scrivia, le Suore Missionarie del Santissimo Redentore della Chiesa greco-cattolica ucraina. E continuiamo a pregare per il martoriato popolo ucraino e per la pace in ogni terra insanguinata dalla guerra.

Links to the full text in ITALIAN and ENGLISH