In Ukraine, UNHCR’s Grandi urges support ahead of harsh winter challenges

KYIV – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has urged the international community to further scale up vital support ahead of the third winter since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion.

Grandi travelled to Ukraine this week for the fifth time since February 2022, to express strong solidarity with the people, who are bearing the brunt of the horrendous ongoing war, and to call for the protection of all civilians affected by the international armed conflict. He visited the Okhmatdyt Pediatric Hospital and other areas heavily damaged by the 8 July deadly attacks in Kyiv. In Kharkiv, he heard harrowing accounts of people evacuated during the recent offensive in May.

After meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and visiting a power plant that was heavily bombarded, Grandi handed over ten generators to the local authorities in Kharkiv to help keep critical services operational. Attacks have depleted close to 70 per cent of Ukraine's energy generation capacity, disrupting critical heating and water supply. This is already affecting millions every day, and unless significant support is provided, the situation could become unbearable when temperatures drop and harsher weather sets in.

“It’s devastating to see that the war – with all its senseless destruction – is continuing relentlessly,” Grandi said. “Each time I'm in Ukraine, I’m struck by the resilience and determination of people. But our support is critical to help sustain their strength, including ensuring they are safe and warm in the gruelling winter ahead, and to keep their hopes alive for a better future.”

UNHCR will contribute to helping the people of Ukraine prepare for winter and, to that end, Grandi committed initial resources worth $100 million. UNHCR plans to support 600,000 of the most vulnerable displaced and war-affected people in Ukraine with cash assistance, but with humanitarian needs growing more support is needed. UNHCR’s comprehensive winter response plan is part of a broader UN humanitarian appeal to provide people with the necessary support before the cold arrives.

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There are currently 14.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection services – some 40 per cent of the population. Over 3.5 million people remain internally displaced and unable to return to their homes, while others come back to destroyed or heavily damaged homes. This is in addition to more than 6 million refugees from Ukraine still in Europe. These numbers are unlikely to drop soon. UNHCR has been present in Ukraine for 30 years. Across Ukraine, the agency supported 4.3 million people in 2022 and 2.6 million people in 2023. In 2024, UNHCR aims to reach 2.7 million people in Ukraine with protection, shelter, and cash and in-kind assistance, and has already provided nearly 950,000 life-saving services. UNHCR has also just launched Ukraine is Home, an innovative digital platform aiming to provide timely and impartial information to help refugees and displaced people from Ukraine take an informed decision on their voluntary return. UNHCR’s Ukraine situation appeal – to respond to the humanitarian needs of war-affected and displaced people in Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine in the region – seeks almost $1 billion for 2024 and is less than one third funded. The UN’s broad humanitarian response appeal for inside Ukraine of $3.1 billion is also around one third funded.

Media contacts:

• In Ukraine: Iryna Tymchyshyn, [email protected], +38 050 474 35 12
• In Geneva: Carlotta Wolf, [email protected], +41 79 546 67 07 
• In Geneva: Matthew Saltmarsh [email protected] +41 79 967 99 36