OPERATIONAL CONTEXT & HIGHLIGHTS:
• As Ukraine marked the sombre milestone of 1,000 days of full-scale war in November, massive coordinated aerial attacks continued to target the country’s energy infrastructure, leaving already vulnerable civilians across the country to cope with power cuts and limited access to essential services such as water and heating as temperatures drop. Large scale attacks affected at least 15 regions across the country on 17 November and 13 regions on 28 November. Overall, the UN HRMMU reported that at least 165 civilians were killed and 887 injured in Ukraine in November, with an increasing number of casualties (42%) resulting from the use of long-range weapons such as missiles and loitering munitions launched by Russian armed forces.
• UNHCR and partners have stepped up efforts to deliver assistance to help people stay safe and warm this winter, delivering 242,100 multi-sectoral services to people as part of UNHCR’s 2024-2025 winter response plan and the broader inter-agency response.
• Fighting along the frontline continues to cause displacement. Many evacuees are extremely vulnerable, with a significant number of older people and persons with disabilities among those from areas under mandatory evacuation orders.
• UNHCR’s latest report Lives on Hold: Intentions and perspectives of refugees, refugee returnees and internally displaced people from Ukraine finds that most Ukrainians who have been forced to flee are still planning and hoping to return home one day. The sixth such report is based on interviews conducted in July and August with over 11,150 households, including refugee families across Europe, internally displaced households, and refugee returnee families in Ukraine. Overall, 61% of Ukrainian refugees and 73% of IDPs surveyed still plan and hope to return home one day. As in previous rounds of this survey, the main inhibitor to return remains the prevailing insecurity in Ukraine, followed by concerns over job opportunities and access to housing.
• UNHCR provides immediate protection and assistance to people living in war-affected areas while supporting the early recovery and durable solutions for displaced persons, returnees, and war-affected people remaining in their homes.