War in Ukraine - UN Refugee Commissioner warns of harsh winter for Ukraine
In the face of the energy crisis caused by Russian attacks in Ukraine, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has warned of a harsh winter and appealed for more help from the international community. "Energy, energy, energy. I have never seen such despair," Grandi told the German Press Agency, describing his conversations with Ukrainian officials.
Officials are deeply concerned, and even normal people, especially in the eastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv, have already expressed fears of spending the winter without heating. At the same time, the UN representative urged the international community: "Keep your support going."
The UN Refugee Agency has observed a slight increase in refugee numbers in the past two to three months following destructive Russian rocket attacks on Ukrainian power plants. "They are worried that they may not be able to survive the winter, or even this very hot season, without electricity," Grandi said.
Therefore, the power crisis, rather than military attacks, is the primary reason for Ukrainians seeking refuge abroad. Since March, more than nine gigawatts of power capacity have been destroyed by Russian rocket and drone attacks. Nationwide, there have been power outages lasting hours since May.
However, the UN also observed a significant number of returnees. "The estimate is that since February 2022, over a million people have returned for at least three months," Grandi said. These are people who have not just looked at their houses but have actually returned. Nevertheless, approximately 6.5 million Ukrainians remain outside the country.
This represents about a seventh of the original refugees. According to Grandi's organization's estimates, the desire to return is still high. "Sixty to seventy percent of refugees interviewed in Europe expressed a desire to return to Ukraine," Grandi shared. The ongoing fighting, energy crisis, and lack of income sources are cited as major obstacles.
The Russian large-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. In the country, the UN reports that there are currently about 3.5 million internally displaced persons.
- The energy crisis in Ukraine, resulting from Russia's attacks, has led to deep concern among officials and civilians in cities like Kiev and Charkiw.
- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has called upon the international community to continue providing assistance during this critical time, citing the energy crisis as a significant concern.
- Conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have led to destructive rocket attacks on Ukrainian power plants, contributing to an energy crisis that has driven some Ukrainians to seek refuge abroad.
- The UN has reported a slight increase in refugee numbers since the start of the conflict, with many fearing they will not be able to survive the winter without electricity due to the power crisis.
- Filipp Grandi, the UN Refugee Agency representative, has observed a significant number of returnees to Ukraine since February 2022, despite the ongoing fighting, energy crisis, and lack of income sources.
- The UN and Filippo Grandi have emphasized the high desire among refugees to return to Ukraine, with estimates suggesting that around 60-70% of interviewed refugees express this intention, although challenges such as the conflict, energy crisis, and employment opportunities remain obstacles.
