As Russia’s war in Ukraine extends into a third year, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, forcing millions to leave their homes and straining resources across the contry. This report focuses on the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Ukraine, highlighting the uncertain futures and increasing hardships experienced by those uprooted by the conflict, and the aid organizations working to support them.
Valentina, an 88-year-old who fled her home in Kherson, says she feels as though only months have passed since leaving, despite having been displaced for nearly two years. Her experience is representative of the ongoing humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine, where millions have been forced to leave their homes due to the ongoing conflict.
Currently residing in a care facility in Wojnyliw, in western Ukraine, Valentina is one of 34 individuals receiving support at a center that provides housing, medical care, and palliative care services. She recounted to reporters that a grenade struck her kitchen during a nighttime attack, and rescue workers had to extract her from the rubble. Remarkably, she sustained only minor injuries.
“I lived with relatives for a month,” she said. “But I didn’t want to be a burden, so I came to western Ukraine.” Her husband and son have both passed away, but she still holds onto the hope of returning home. “It’s very nice and cozy here, but I miss Kherson and want to go home.”
Uncertainty for Displaced Ukrainians
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As diplomatic efforts to end the war continue, many internally displaced people (IDPs) face an uncertain future. A survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) between July and October revealed that a quarter of those displaced do not know what their next steps will be.
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More than a third of those surveyed expressed a desire to integrate into their host communities, while a fifth indicated they would prefer to remain without integrating. Sixteen percent believe they will eventually be able to return to their homes.
Continued Evacuations
There is no end in sight to the displacement. According to the IOM, 48,000 people were forced to leave their cities and villages in November alone. Ongoing fighting along the front lines in southern and eastern Ukraine continues to drive evacuations.
On Tuesday, authorities ordered the evacuation of 14 villages in the Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine. A week earlier, officials announced that children and their parents or guardians in 19 settlements in the Donetsk Oblast were being forcibly evacuated due to safety concerns.
Winter Aid in Western Ukraine
Escalating Russian attacks on the hinterland are worsening the situation for the Ukrainian population during the fourth winter of the war. We looked at how people in western Ukraine are being helped.
The Donetsk Oblast is part of the Donbas region. The industrial region in eastern Ukraine is one of the most heavily contested areas in this war. Parts of Donetsk have been illegally annexed by Russia since 2014. Currently, the Russian army controls 79 percent of the Oblast, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Donetsk, along with Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk, has the highest number of IDPs.
High Risk of Poverty
The Ukrainian state provides financial and social support to IDPs, as well as assistance with finding housing. Regional authorities also offer assistance. However, for many IDPs, the aid is barely enough to survive. Finding a job is also often difficult.
Women are particularly affected. In a survey, nearly 40 percent of women displaced within the country said they only had enough financial resources to buy food. Money for clothing and larger purchases, such as housing and luxury goods, was not available.
There are also regional differences in terms of poverty risk. The average income of a worker from the Donbas is lower than the monthly rent in many parts of Ukraine, the “Kyiv Post” reported. Last year, more than 130,000 Ukrainians returned to the Russian-occupied territories in the Donbas as a result.
Challenges Finding Housing
Finding accommodation presents significant challenges. According to figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), at least 2.5 million buildings – around 13 percent of the total stock – have been destroyed or damaged in the war. Many people live in houses “that are poorly equipped for life-threatening sub-zero temperatures,” according to the UNHCR.
A 2025 study found that housing programs in most communities cover less than half of the required need. In Kyiv, 2,864 families of IDPs had applied for temporary accommodation in March. Only 115 families actually received it.
“Our Tasks Have Grown”
In addition to state and regional support, national and international aid organizations are also trying to help IDPs. In the city of Vinnytsia in western Ukraine, Caritas-Spes operates a shelter for people with special needs.
75 people – single parents, children, the elderly, people with disabilities – have found refuge here. There are 146,000 IDPs living in the Vinnytsia Oblast, 43,000 of them in the city, which has a population of just under 360,000.
80 percent come from the Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts, large parts of which have been illegally annexed by Russia, said Jewhen Markewytsch, director of Caritas-Spes in Vinnytsia. An evacuation train arrives from the east once a month. The 37-year-old is concerned about the precarious financial situation of the project. “Our tasks have grown,” said Markewytsch. “But we need more funds to continue to carry them out.”
