Position Statement on the Invasion of Ukraine: Short- and Long-Term Considerations for Internally Displaced People (IDP) and Refugee Well-being
Introduction
Ukraine is a country of 44.1 million people in eastern Europe that gained its independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2014, the Maidan Revolution deposed the pro-Russia president of
Ukraine. In the same year, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and initiated an invasion of
eastern Ukraine leading to the internal displacement of 1.5 million Ukrainians (UNHCR, n.d.). On
February 24, 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, and Russian forces began destroying
Ukrainian cities. In the first three months of the crisis, over 10 million people have been displaced,
and the international community has brought attention to the war crimes committed by Russian
forces and to the resulting humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing their homes
each day, becoming internally displaced or seeking refuge in other countries. They are facing
extreme hardships. At the same time, Ukrainians are coming together like never before united in
their identity as Ukrainians and committed to having their country persevere and survive.