The United Nations said on Monday that it requires $4.2 billion to provide humanitarian aid in Ukraine in 2024 and assist millions of refugees who have fled the war-torn country.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine approaches its third year in February, the UN aims to reach 8.5 million people within Ukraine and 2.3 million refugees along with their host communities in Eastern Europe.
The UN stressed the urgent need for life-saving humanitarian aid due to a recent wave of attacks, coupled with the harsh winter conditions. The full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 marked the biggest invasion of a European country since World War II and led to the largest refugee crisis faced by the continent since the 1939-1945 conflict.
The UN estimates that 14.6 million people will require humanitarian assistance in Ukraine this year, constituting 40 percent of the population. The organization aims to reach the 8.5 million individuals most in need.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths noted the plight of hundreds of thousands of children living in communities on the front lines of the war, facing terror, trauma, and deprivation of basic needs. He urged increased humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, where homes, schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure are under repeated attacks.
Griffiths, along with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, presented the plan at a joint press conference in Geneva. Approximately 6.3 million people have fled Ukraine and remain refugees, primarily across Europe. The regional refugee response plan is seeking $1.1 billion to reach 2.3 million refugees and host communities.
Grandi stressed the ongoing need for urgent support for millions of refugees from Ukraine. Challenges include only half of school-age Ukrainian refugee children being enrolled in schools in host countries, a quarter of refugees struggling to access healthcare, and employment rates ranging from 40 to 60 percent, often below their qualifications.
The UN’s 2023 humanitarian response plan for Ukraine sought $3.9 billion, achieving 64 percent funding. Despite access challenges, including areas occupied by Russian forces, aid workers reached 10.5 million people in Ukraine in 2023.
In 2024, the UN focuses its response strategy on people with the most severe humanitarian needs across the country, particularly those in the front line. Russia has intensified aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, preparing for a prolonged war and reorienting its economy.
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