The Russian invasion of Ukraine last year caused massive waves of Ukrainian refugees to ripple across nations, hitting Europe like a boulder thrown into a pond. The tiny nation of Moldova responded to Ukraine’s calls for help like a good neighbor, but the U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, issued a warning on Friday that countries like Poland and Moldova “may be forced to cut essential activities” without drastically increased funding.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the town of Lviv in western Ukraine become a refuge and transit point for more than 5 million internally displaced Ukrainians. Lviv, a town that is relatively safe, has emerged as the stronghold of the Ukrainian resistance.
In the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, dozens of families with children still live close to front lines. And these family refuse to leave despite the fighting is still going on.
Over 20,000 Ukrainian children are allegedly being forcibly deported or transferred to Russia or Russian-occupied territory, according to accusations made by Kyiv authorities against Moscow. And to mark World’s Children Day on November 20, Human rights activists are drawing attention to Russia’s violation of international child protection laws.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has approved a female uniform, and 42,000 women are now serving in the Ukrainian military.
A few kilometers from the frontlines is where the Ukrainian city of Huliaipole [pron. hool-aye-poh-leh] is located. There are still some residents there, including families with children, despite the ongoing shelling. Eva Myronova spoke with one family about why they are staying. Anna Rice narrates the story. VOA News
Ukrainians are preparing for wintertime power outages caused by Russian attacks, with the lessons from last winter still fresh in their minds.
To raise funds for ambulances on the front lines in Ukraine, a runner has finished a 50-day ultramarathon from Amsterdam to Kyiv. Duth National Boas Kragtwik completed his 2,500-kilometer run in Kyiv, where reporter Lesia Bakalets was at the finishing line.
City workers man their posts at a firehouse and post office near the front lines as Russia alters in on the city of Kupiansk in the north of Ukraine’s war zone and retreats from cities in the south, but all of them want to find safety away from the war.
A job fair for recently arrived war refugees was organized by a Ukrainian community group in the western U.S. state of Colorado.