Three Years of War: Millions of Ukrainians Still Displaced as Aerial Attacks Continue

“In the last six months alone, more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from frontline areas in the east and north,” Grandi stated on the war’s three-year anniversary.

As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, relentless aerial bombardments continue to claim lives, injure civilians, and force families from their homes. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, highlighted the ongoing crisis this week, emphasizing that the situation remains dire for millions of Ukrainians.

"In the last six months alone, more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from frontline areas in the east and north," Grandi stated on the war's three-year anniversary. Since the start of the invasion, approximately 10.6 million people have been uprooted from their homes, and displacement remains an everyday reality.

Daily Displacement and Struggles

While the majority of those displaced fled during the war's initial months, new waves of forced evacuations persist, particularly in eastern and northern regions. Many evacuees arrive at transit centres before being relocated to temporary shelters in repurposed public buildings, known as collective sites.

One such evacuee, 59-year-old Serhii Zelenyi, recently escaped daily bombardments in Pokrovsk, a frontline city in the Donetsk region, 130 kilometres from the Russian border. After enduring months of relentless drone and missile attacks, food shortages, and power outages, he made the painful decision to leave his home behind.

"It was very difficult in Pokrovsk. Drones were swarming over the city every day, from morning till late at night," Zelenyi recounted. "Sometimes there was a two-hour pause, then the bombardments started again. It was impossible to live like that."

Upon reaching a transit centre in Pavlohrad, he received clothing and financial assistance from UNHCR and its local partner organizations. Despite these efforts, he remains uncertain about his future. "I lost everything," he said. "I need to start again from scratch."

Mental and Emotional Toll on the Displaced

The humanitarian crisis is not just about physical displacement. The war has taken a significant emotional toll on those forced to flee. Alyona Sinaeva, a psychologist with Proliska, a UNHCR partner organization in Pavlohrad, explained that many evacuees arrive in a state of acute stress after escaping active combat zones.

"In this space, they can finally relax and cry. These are emotions they have been suppressing for so long," said Sinaeva. "People are exhausted. Tired of war. Everyone is tired."

A Humanitarian Catastrophe

Three years since Russia's full-scale invasion and 11 years since the war in the east began with the occupation of Crimea, Ukraine remains gripped by a humanitarian catastrophe. An estimated 12.7 million people—nearly a third of the country's remaining population—are in urgent need of aid.

While international organizations continue to provide food, shelter, legal aid, and psychosocial support, the situation remains dire. Civilians face an uncertain future as they navigate the devastation of war, hoping for a day when they can rebuild their lives in peace.