Majority of Ukrainian refugees hope to return home as…

Majority of Ukrainian refugees hope to return home as soon as possible, a survey finds

The majority of Ukrainian refugees hope to return home as soon as possible while around two-thirds expect to stay in their current host countries until hostilities subside and the security situation improves, according to a new UN survey.

4,871 displaced Ukrainians were interviewed between mid-May and mid-June 2022. 82% of those interviewed said that they had to separate from at least one or more immediate family members who stayed behind in Ukraine.

The interviews were carried out in Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic. 90% of respondents were female, 54% of which were between the ages of 35 and 59. 34% were aged between 18-34 while just 12% were over 60.

23% of households had at least one person with specific needs while 40% said that cash, employment and accommodation were their main urgent needs. High levels of education and professional skills were found amongst respondents with 77% having completed technical or university studies.

Recommendations based on the findings included the necessity for continued access to safety and protection while noting that temporary protection and other legal status which has been granted to them should not be prematurely withdrawn as a result of decisions to return to Ukraine in the event that they may need to leave again.

The report said: “Refugees should be enabled to make free and informed decisions on their future. The provision of counselling, targeted support for persons with specific needs, information on access to assistance and services in refugees’ areas of origin, advice on the implications of return on individuals’ legal refugee status and guidance on how to access services and support in the host country are all necessary to enable well-informed decision making.”

Over 7.1 million people remain displaced in Ukraine by the international armed conflict and 15.7 million people are estimated to urgently require humanitarian assistance and protection.

As of the end of June 2022, UNHCR estimated that there were at least 5.5 million refugees from Ukraine across Europe, and around 3.6 million refugees from Ukraine had registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe. Some 8.4 million border crossings have been recorded out of Ukraine, and authorities have reported more than 3.1 million movements back into the country since 28 February.