Home

Today, as we mark the somber milestone of 1,000 days of full-scale war in Ukraine with unabated attacks and a looming harsh winter, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, emphasizes the centrality of the voices of refugees and internally displaced people from Ukraine in discussions about their future.

There are currently more than 6.7 million refugees from Ukraine who have sought international protection – most of them in Europe, in addition to over 3.7 million people who remain forcibly displaced inside the country.

Uncertainty is growing as Russia’s full-scale invasion and war continues, but most Ukrainians who have been forced to flee are still planning and hoping to return home one day, according to summary findings of UNHCR’s latest report Lives on Hold: Intentions and perspectives of refugees, refugee returnees and internally displaced people from Ukraine. The sixth such report is based on interviews conducted in July and August this year with over 11,150 households, including close to 5,000 refugee families across Europe, some 4,700 internally displaced households and over 1,500 refugee returnee families in Ukraine.

Overall, 61 per cent of Ukrainian refugees and 73 per cent of internally displaced people surveyed still plan and hope to return home one day. As in previous rounds of this survey, the main inhibitor to return remains the prevailing insecurity in Ukraine, as attacks continue on a daily basis. Concerns about job opportunities and access to housing are also cited as key factors influencing return decisions.

Similar to previous surveys, a significant proportion of refugees from Ukraine – some 60 per cent – said they might be compelled to return, even if not their preferred choice due to the ongoing war, if they