Home

Kyiv, 21 August: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on support to war-affected people living in frontline communities during the upcoming harsh winter season.  

Building on the longstanding and strong partnership between UNHCR and the Ministry, this new agreement sets out to provide winter cash assistance at a total value of USD 30 million to people living in areas where hostilities are ongoing or recently ended.  

During the coming winter, many thousands of families in communities near the frontline of the war will have difficulties keeping their homes warm without assistance to cover increased expenses for heating. In support of the Ministry of Reintegration – and taking into consideration the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 583-r from 25 June 2024 – UNHCR will distribute one-off cash grants to internally displaced and war-affected people living in nine regions: Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Chernihiv. These are the main regions where attacks continue to cause damage to homes and energy infrastructure, adding to the already massive destruction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Families with specific vulnerabilities, particularly those with older members, young children, or adults or children with disabilities will be prioritized for the winter cash assistance. Additionally, households within 10 kilometers of the frontline or border with the Russian Federation will be given special consideration. This cash assistance will help families purchase solid fuel, ensuring that people can heat their houses