Russia’s war in Ukraine has caused the largest forced population displacement crisis in Europe since the second world war. As of 2026, roughly 4.4 million refugees from Ukraine hold temporary protection status in the EU. Around 4.6 million more are internally displaced.
Hundreds of thousands of families in the country have been separated and many relatives have not seen each other for years. Men subject to conscription cannot leave Ukraine, while older adults and people with mobility issues face difficulties evacuating. Others have simply chosen to stay in their homes.
