Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
November 19, 2025 Humanitarian aid
Over the past year, more than 250,000 people have fled Ukraine's Donetsk region. Evacuations are also ongoing in neighboring regions – Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. The front line continues to shift, forcing people to flee their homes. UNHCR staff are providing support to both those evacuated and those remaining in frontline areas.
Federico Sersale, head of the UNHCR office in Dnipro, told the UN News Service that most of those remaining are elderly or people with disabilities. Some refuse to leave because they fear they will never return home. Others are simply unable to evacuate on their own and require assistance.
A difficult choice
Life in frontline areas is extremely harsh: constant shelling, interruptions in electricity, heat, and water, and the impossibility of free movement. But despite all this, convincing those remaining there to leave can be extremely difficult.
"I think the most important thing is to remember that it's their choice: to leave or to stay. We try to provide them with as much information as possible so that they can make an informed decision," Sersale noted.
UNHCR support
UNHCR and partner organizations continue to provide essential assistance to those who choose to remain.
"When we have access to these areas, we provide various types of support – from basic items like warm blankets to materials for repairing homes damaged by shelling. We also provide psychosocial support and legal assistance."
The most vulnerable of those evacuated are usually taken to transit centers – government-run facilities where they can spend a few days in safety, receive basic services, and then continue on their way.
"46 percent of people passing through these centers are elderly or people with limited mobility. This is a new trend," Sersale said.
"We help set up these centers, providing them with everything they need: beds, blankets, washing machines—everything they need to operate. We also provide people with services, including psychosocial and legal support, as well as financial assistance to cover basic expenses. Everything depends on the needs," he said.
"Eyes full of hope and strength"
Svitlana, an elderly resident of a frontline district in the Zaporizhzhia region who uses a wheelchair, ended up in one of these transit centers, located south of the Dnipro River. She and her husband had long refused to leave and lived in dire conditions: there was no electricity in their house, and drones regularly flew nearby. A few weeks ago, when the situation in the region worsened, Svitlana finally decided to leave.
She spent several days in the transit center and received the assistance she needed, including financial support. She was later transferred to the UNHCR-supported Ocean of Kindness center in Dnipro. The organization provides temporary housing for displaced people, including people with disabilities like Svetlana.
UNHCR
Several weeks ago, Svetlana decided to leave the frontline region of the Zaporizhzhia region.
"That's where I met her. It's a temporary solution. Now she's waiting for the opportunity to move into more permanent housing," Federico Sersale said.
"When I saw her, I was struck by her energy. Despite everything she'd been through, there was still hope and vitality in her eyes," he added.
Long-term solutions
One of the most serious challenges for internally displaced persons like Svetlana remains finding long-term solutions – housing and comprehensive, systemic support.
“This could be living in a nursing home, receiving home care, or being able to stay in your own home while still receiving the services you need,” Sersale explained.
"Housing for internally displaced people is one of the key issues," he emphasized. "We are actively working in this direction."
While Svetlana decides where she can live in the future, UNHCR continues to support her and other displaced people.
"I think her story perfectly captures what life is like on the front lines: having to make the agonizingly difficult decision of whether to leave or stay, and then finding the strength to start over again."
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.