No fewer than 6.168 million Ukrainian refugees were registered across Europe by the end of July 2024, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The war has caused the largest population displacement crisis since World War II, with nearly a third of the population forced to flee their homes.
Another 571,000 Ukrainians are exiled outside of Europe, bringing the global total of this community to 6.74 million people. Additionally, 3.7 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine’s borders, according to the United Nations.
Ukraine had a population of 43.5 million in 2021 before the current conflict with Russia began in February 2022. It now counts only 37.9 million inhabitants.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the conflict has claimed the lives of 11,662 civilians between 24 February 2022 and mid-August 2024. Among the victims are 639 children. Additionally, 24,207 civilians have been injured, including 1,577 children.
Furthermore, “the war has shattered the Ukrainian economy, rolling back development gains made over the past years and plunging nearly 25% of the population into poverty,” according to the latest Annual Report of the United Nations in Ukraine, published in April 2024.
The Top 20 Host Countries
| Country | Number of Registered Refugees | Data Date |
| Russian Federation | 1,227,555 | December 31, 2023 |
| Germany | 1,190,255 | July 31, 2024 |
| Poland | 957,505 | June 11, 2024 |
| Czech Republic | 370,980 | August 4, 2024 |
| United Kingdom | 246,960 | August 13, 2024 |
| Spain | 211,325 | July 31, 2024 |
| Italy | 172,035 | July 31, 2024 |
| Romania | 162,180 | July 31, 2024 |
| Moldova | 125,890 | September 1, 2024 |
| Slovakia | 125,460 | September 1, 2024 |
| Netherlands | 117,840 | July 31, 2024 |
| Ireland | 108,970 | August 13, 2024 |
| Belgium | 81,350 | July 31, 2024 |
| Austria | 78,815 | August 19, 2024 |
| Norway | 74,240 | August 19, 2024 |
| Montenegro | 74,170 | June 30, 2024 |
| Switzerland | 66,990 | August 15, 2024 |
| France | 66,560 | June 30, 2024 |
| Finland | 64,415 | July 31, 2024 |
| Portugal | 63,035 | July 31, 2024 |
Source: UNHCR.
Nearly 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees were in Russia as of December 31, 2023, where the UNHCR has expressed concerns regarding their legal status, rights, and access to services within the country.
2 million refugees in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries
More than 1 million are in Germany, and around 2.5 million in Western Europe, with notable differences between countries. For example, Spain hosts three times as many Ukrainian refugees as France.
Nearly 2 million refugees are spread across 11 Eastern European countries bordering Ukraine (Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia).
UNHCR is collaborating with its partners to support these host countries and the refugees – two-thirds are women and girls – through the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP).
The majority of Ukrainians wish to return home
According to a UNHCR survey conducted among 9,900 households in January and February 2024, both within Ukraine and abroad, 65% of refugees and 72% of internally displaced persons expressed a desire to return home one day. However, this percentage has decreased due to the uncertainties surrounding the conflict.
Displaced persons cited insecurity in Ukraine as the primary factor preventing their return, while other concerns included the lack of economic opportunities and housing.
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