Deputy Supreme Commissar of refugees, Kelly Clents, said that from the beginning of 2024 to August, about 400 thousand Ukrainians fled to Europe in search of asylum from the ongoing war and bombing.
Clements at a weekly press conference in the UN Geneva office recalled that the war between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022. She emphasized that intensive shelling and the onset of harsh winter aggravated the humanitarian situation.
“Russia’s destruction of the energy infrastructure of Ukraine has led to a loss of about 65% of the total capacity over the past months. The attacks continue, violating the supply of electricity, heating and water,” Clements said.
According to her, since August, about 170 thousand people were forced to leave their homes in the east of the country, many of which were evacuated from the fighting zones.
“inside Ukraine, about 4 million people were moved, and 6.7 million people fled abroad. From the beginning of 2024 to August, another 400 thousand Ukrainian refugees fleeing from war and bombing arrived in Europe,” Clents said.
She also noted that many children in Ukraine continue to study online, losing social interaction and ordinary training sessions.
Clements added that in regions such as Kharkov, children are forced to study in bomb shelters, where there is no natural light and playgrounds.