KYIV – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has warned of dramatic humanitarian suffering throughout Ukraine and worsening conditions as war-affected civilians suffer in the depths of winter.

Grandi wrapped up his week-long visit to the country late yesterday, his fourth since the full-scale Russian invasion two years ago, reaching some of the most destroyed and damaged parts of Ukraine, including areas affected by an increase in aerial attacks that have recently killed and wounded civilians and damaged homes and civilian infrastructure.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi met with Svitlana, a woman whose apartment was impacted during the missile attack in Dnipro on 29 December 2023.

© UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

He appealed in the strongest terms for much more international humanitarian support to the country, including to those displaced by the horrific violence and who are subjected to the harsh winter.

“The fighting has escalated and the humanitarian situation in the country is dramatic and urgent. Millions have been forced to flee the war and Russian attacks, and they are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance,” said Grandi. “Under the strong leadership of the Government, the United Nations and partners – especially Ukrainian organisations – have been doing all that they can to help, but without much more international support and funding, Ukrainian civilians will continue to suffer.”

Throughout his visit, including to Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Kyiv, Grandi was humbled by the efforts of ordinary Ukrainians who, despite the war and the hardship, refuse to give up and are returning to their homes, rebuilding and recovering in the midst of this awful war.

UNHCR continues to support those who are displaced within the country and is stepping up its help to those choosing to return to their areas of origin, including by launching a ‘Ukraine is Home’ platform, with important up-to-date information for refugees and internally displaced people.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi visits the Transfiguration Cathedral that was heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack on 23 July 2023. Directly after the missile attack, UNHCR’s partner The Tenth of April provided 100 emergency shelter kits. © UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

In Odesa, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi met with Hanna whose house was severely damaged by the missile attack on 29 December 2023. Hanna received assistance through UNHCR partner TTA including: Emergency Shelter Kits, essential items, psychological consultations, and legal counselling to obtain financial compensation including for damaged and destroyed property. © UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi visits war-affected families in Kryvyi Rih. Serhii Beresnev, 57-year-old, was impacted by an attack on the morning of 8 January 2024. Through UNHCR’s partners Proliska and Right to Protection, Serhii received immediate emergency assistance in the form of emergency shelter, essential items, psychosocial support, and legal counselling.   © UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi meets with war-affected families in Kryvyi Rih. This multi-storey building was hit by a missile on 31 July 2023. Flippo Grandi was accompanied to the site by the city authorities and NGO partners. UNHCR’s partners immediately responded with tarpaulin sheets, Emergency Shelter Kits, Psycho-social support, social accompaniment (Proliska) as well as cash assistance and legal counseling (Right to Protection) to support affected people.  © UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi visits sites of recent missile attacks in Kharkiv. © UNHCR/Iryna Tymchyshyn

“Ukrainian resilience remains strong and inspiring,” Grandi said while surveying the neighbourhood of Irpin, which is being rebuilt with UNHCR support. “But their fortitude cannot be taken for granted and the international community must step up and help with both humanitarian and recovery support – and must do so now!”

Grandi also paid tribute to the Government’s leadership and coordination of aid, adding, “The cooperation with the Government continues to go from strength to strength. UNHCR has been in the country for 30 years and we will stay with Ukraine and the people as long as it takes.”

In the past two years, UNHCR and its partners, almost all of which are Ukrainian organizations, have reached millions of people – more than 4.3 million in 2022 and 2.6 million in 2023 – with assistance and support.

More than 27,500 homes across the country have been rebuilt or repaired, and more than 270,000 Ukrainians have received emergency shelter kits allowing them to fix light damage to their homes. More than $470 million has been distributed directly to people as cash assistance, while last year alone more than 178,000 people received legal support to help them obtain civil documents damaged or lost due to the war; often a precursor to being able to access services and other forms of assistance.

If funding is available, UNHCR plans to deliver almost $600 million worth of assistance to reach 2.7 million Ukrainians in 2024.

UN High Commissioner meets with war-affected people in Kyiv region. When the hostilities started in Horenka, Lidiia, 69, and her relatives managed to evacuate to southern part of Kyiv oblast. She came back as soon as the area was retaken. UNHCR has fully replaced the roof and assisted in repairing six windows in the house in August 2023. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko

UN High Commissioner meets with war-affected people in Kyiv region. When the hostilities started in Horenka, Lidiia, 69, and her relatives managed to evacuate to southern part of Kyiv region. She came back as soon as the area was retaken. UNHCR has fully replaced the roof and assisted in repairing six windows in the house in August 2023. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko

UN High Commissioner meets with war-affected people in Kyiv region. Tetiana, 56, used to live in her private house in Horenka. When the full-scale invasion started, she had no place to go to and spent the whole occupation period in the village, hiding in the cellar of one of the neighboring houses. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko

Kyiv Oblast Administration approached UNHCR with a request to repair 35 houses and completely rebuild 35 private houses. The project is led by the Kyiv Oblast Administration under Kyiv Oblast Recovery umbrella: UNHCR will support by providing building materials - metal roofing slate, aircrete blocks, wooden timber and mineral wool ; Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) provides doors and windows, and Irpin city council supports with repair works. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko

UN High Commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi together with the United States Embassy in Ukraine co-hosted a Roundtable on enablers of voluntary return and rebuilding homes in Ukraine.© UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko

Media contacts:

• In Ukraine: Elisabeth Arnsdorf Haslund, [email protected], +38 (095) 239 00 72
• In Ukraine: Iryna Tymchyshyn, [email protected], +38 (067) 983 84 02
• In Geneva: Louise Donovan, [email protected], +41 79 217 30 58
• In Geneva: Shabia Mantoo, [email protected], +41 79 337 7650