Russian attacks on power plants have caused an energy crisis in Ukraine. The prospect of a winter without heating could cause more Ukrainians to leave the country.
In view of the energy crisis in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has warned of a harsh winter and appealed for further aid. “Energy, energy, energy. I have never seen such unanimity anywhere,” Grandi told the German Press Agency, describing his impression of talks with Ukrainian officials.
Those responsible are very worried. And ordinary people, especially in the eastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv, are already afraid of being left without heating in the winter. At the same time, the UN representative urged the international community: “Maintain your support.”
Particularly after the devastating Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian power plants, the UN refugee agency has observed a slight increase in the number of refugees in the past two to three months. “They are worried that they will have to survive the winter or even this very hot season without electricity,” said Grandi.
Therefore, the electricity crisis and not necessarily the military attacks is the main reason for Ukrainians to seek protection abroad. Russian missile and drone attacks have destroyed power plant capacities of more than nine gigawatts since March. As a result, there have been hours-long power outages across the country since May.
Many returnees to Ukraine
However, the UN also observed a not insignificant number of returnees. “The estimate is that one million people have returned for at least three months since February 2022,” said Grandi. These are people who have not just briefly checked on their homes. Nevertheless, around 6.5 million Ukrainians are still outside the country.
This means that around one seventh of the original refugees are back in the country. And according to his organization’s assessments, the desire to return is still high. “60 to 70 percent of the refugees surveyed in Europe also say that they want to return to Ukraine,” said the refugee commissioner. The main obstacles are the ongoing fighting, the energy crisis, but also a lack of sources of income.
The major Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. According to the United Nations, there are currently a good 3.5 million internally displaced people in the country.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
