On the eve of the two-year anniversary of the largest land war in Europe since World War II, many figures have been compiled, yielding sad and shocking results.
The United Nations (UN) said on February 22 that nearly one-third of Ukraine's population has been forced to leave their homes at some point in the past two years since Russia launched its military campaign in the Eastern European country, with nearly 6.5 million people now living outside the country as refugees and around 3.7 million displaced internally.
As Russia's military campaign in Ukraine enters its third year, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that, in total, more than 14 million people – nearly one-third of Ukraine's population – have been displaced at some point during the conflict, while more than 4.5 million have returned home from abroad or from other parts of Ukraine.
On February 22, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the war “has no end,” which has caused “extreme suffering for millions of civilians… The lasting impact of the war in Ukraine will be felt for generations.”
In its latest report, the UN Human Rights Watch mission in Ukraine said it could verify conflict-related deaths of 10,582 civilians since February 2022. The agency also verified that 19,875 civilians had been injured. “The actual number could be significantly higher,” the UN agency warned.
Polish border guards assist refugees from Ukraine as they arrive in Poland in late February 2022. Photo: DW
Speaking about the damage caused by the war since this day two years ago, IOM Director-General Amy Pope said: “The devastation is widespread, the loss of life and the suffering continue. IOM commends the Ukrainian government and people for their strength and resilience, as well as Ukraine’s neighbors for welcoming those seeking safety. We remain committed to helping alleviate the suffering of the people and to helping them recover.”
The IOM says it has assisted 6.5 million people in Ukraine and 11 Eastern European countries that are hosting refugees. However, the agency points out that needs continue to rise, outpacing resources.
The IOM says that around 14.6 million people will still need some form of humanitarian assistance in 2024. For those who have returned home, the challenges awaiting them are immense.
“Many of those returning home have faced long-term challenges… including insecurity, loss of livelihoods, damaged housing and infrastructure, and stretched social security services,” said Soda Federico, Director of IOM’s Humanitarian Recovery and Response Division.
"We must focus on economic recovery," Federico emphasized in the agency's report on the first two years of the war.
Since the start of hostilities, the IOM has received $957 million in donations. Overall, the UN says it needs $4.2 billion this year to provide humanitarian aid in Ukraine and to refugees .
Minh Duc (According to Al Jazeera, AFP/Al Arabiya)
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