Conclusions: Ukrainian refugees and IDPs.Dmytro Lubinets
For the third year in a row, at the end of December, Svidomni conducts summary broadcasts on our Ukrainian Instagram page, where we tell what has changed in Ukraine over the year in various areas: the military, culture, medicine, education, judiciary and politics.
Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons are another topic of this year's broadcasts, which we added to the list due to the full-scale war.
Together with the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, we discuss those who were forced to leave their homes due to Russian aggression.
Swipe to read the main theses of the livestream.
How many Ukrainians are staying abroad?
Since February 24, 2022, more than 16 million Ukrainians have left Ukraine. It is impossible to calculate how many of them are in a particular country due to the displacement of people.
After the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region, the number of people returning to Ukraine has increased. After the de-occupation of Kherson, the government recorded the return of about three times more Ukrainians than those who left.
The second wave of Ukrainians leaving abroad began in mid-October 2022 when Russia began massive shelling of the energy grid.
Rights of Ukrainians abroad
Ukrainians abroad face problems every day when applying to consulates. This is because Ukrainian diplomatic institutions were not prepared for such a large number of citizens who would arrive simultaneously.
The first representative office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine abroad was opened in London. Now Ukraine is working on opening a representative office of the Passport Service in the UK.
Foreign countries are considering the possibility of continuing humanitarian programs for Ukrainians. In particular, in Poland, support programs were to end in March 2023, but the government plans to extend the agenda for another six months.
Women who left Ukraine also face violations of their rights and insults from Russians, mostly men. Ukraine is responding to these cases.
Coming back to Ukraine
It will be difficult for Ukraine to return citizens from abroad. However, this is possible under three conditions: the creation of places for their residence, jobs and higher salaries; a new level of protection, and additional programs of medical and psychological assistance.
Safety of children, pupils and students in Ukraine
The state and local governments are looking for opportunities to reconstruct bomb shelters as soon as possible.
There is a plan to build new bomb shelters, which are necessarily included in the standards for the construction of new schools, kindergartens and residential buildings.
Housing reconstruction in Ukraine and assistance to IDPs
As of December 1, 2022, the number of destroyed housing amounted to more than 142 thousand private houses and apartments.
About eight million people have moved within the state, of which more than four million have received the status of internally displaced persons.
Cash payments are small since the priority remains the army. However, the state is working to increase assistance.
The role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the exchange of prisoners
Russia does not allow the ICRC to visit places of detention of prisoners of war; respectively, representatives of the organisation do not monitor the conditions of Ukrainians in captivity.
The ICRC has not written an internal official report on Russia's obstruction of their work. Nor did they take any additional measures to gain access to the Ukrainian military.
Deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia
You can find information on the number of deported children and those who were returned on the portal Children of War. As of now, 13 613 children have been deported to Russia.
Each case of returning a child to Ukraine is a unique operation involving many agencies, including intelligence agencies.
