UN named the number of Ukrainians who left their homes due to the war 0 14

According to the new Global Trends report, 5.9 million Ukrainian refugees were outside Ukraine at the end of last year. Most of them reside in European countries. Another 3.7 million people are internally displaced and continue to live away from their homes within Ukraine.

The UN also notes that more than 10.8 million residents of the country need urgent humanitarian assistance. The main reasons remain the consequences of hostilities, destruction of housing, energy facilities, and other civilian infrastructure.

At the same time, over the past year, the return of about 718,000 Ukrainians has been recorded. This includes both refugees returning from abroad and internally displaced persons who were able to return to their localities.

However, the organization emphasizes that not all returns were voluntary. Many people decided to return due to financial difficulties, reductions in social benefits, or the end of support programs in European Union countries. At the same time, security threats related to ongoing hostilities and shelling persist.

Globally, the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes due to wars, violence, and persecution reached 117.8 million. Despite the magnitude of this figure, it was 4% lower than the previous year's figure, marking the first decrease in the last decade.

According to the UN, approximately 14.7 million people returned home worldwide during 2025. This is the second-largest figure since 1965. Ukraine is among the six countries where the highest number of returns of refugees and internally displaced persons was recorded.

Nevertheless, many returned to regions with destroyed infrastructure, limited access to medical, educational, and social services, as well as in conditions of ongoing threats to life.

The report also notes that Ukraine remains among the countries with the largest number of people in need of international protection and humanitarian support.

Ukrainians in EU countries

As of the end of 2025, there were over 20 million forcibly displaced persons in Europe, including 5.2 million Ukrainian refugees. The largest number of Ukrainian citizens were accepted by Germany and Poland. About 23% of all Ukrainian refugees in Europe live in Germany, while around 19.5% are in Poland.

Meanwhile, the future of the temporary protection regime for Ukrainians remains open. As reported by European Commission representative Markus Lammerth, no final decision has yet been made regarding its possible extension after March 2027. Consultations between the European Commission and EU member states are ongoing.

According to the director of the Institute of Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ella Libanova, there are currently about 4.4 million Ukrainians in EU countries. Most of them left the country in the first months after the start of full-scale hostilities in 2022.

Despite the partial return of people home, Ukraine still remains one of the countries in the world with the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons. The restoration of infrastructure, ensuring security, and maintaining international support remain key conditions for further return of citizens.