KEY TAKEAWAYS

• More than 8.4 million Ukrainian citizens are currently living outside Ukraine, according to Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
• The figure includes Ukrainians who left the country since the beginning of Russia’s aggression in 2014.
• Lubinets called on Ukrainian diplomats to strengthen support for citizens living abroad.
• Most Ukrainians under temporary protection in the EU remain women and children.

More than 8.4 million Ukrainian citizens are currently living outside their home country, according to Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. The figure illustrates the scale of demographic changes caused by more than a decade of Russian aggression and highlights the growing importance of protecting the rights of millions of Ukrainians living abroad.

More Than 8.4 Million Abroad

Speaking during the annual meeting of Ukraine’s heads of diplomatic missions, Lubinets said more than 8.4 million Ukrainians are currently outside the country.

He stressed that the Ukrainian state has a responsibility to ensure every citizen abroad knows that their rights remain protected and that they remain an important part of the nation regardless of where they currently live.

The Figure Covers More Than the Full-Scale War

The ombudsman’s estimate includes Ukrainians who left the country throughout Russia’s aggression beginning in 2014, rather than only those displaced after the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

By comparison, the UN refugee agency estimates that around 5.7 million Ukrainians fled abroad after the start of the full-scale invasion, while Eurostat reports that approximately 4.38 million people currently benefit from temporary protection within the European Union.

Europe Hosts the Largest Ukrainian Communities

Germany remains the largest host country for Ukrainians under temporary protection, followed by Poland and the Czech Republic.

The majority of those granted temporary protection in EU member states are women and children, reflecting Ukraine’s wartime restrictions on the departure of most military-age men.

Demographic Challenge for Ukraine

Experts warn that the long-term absence of millions of citizens poses one of Ukraine’s greatest demographic and economic challenges.

The country’s future recovery will depend not only on rebuilding infrastructure but also on creating conditions that encourage Ukrainians abroad to maintain strong ties with their homeland and, where possible, return after the war.