Currently, there are 1.2 million refugees abroad who left Ukraine because of the war . If the war drags on, millions more may be evacuated from the country.
Ella Libanova, director of the Institute of Demography and Social Research of the National Academy of Sciences, said this.
“Since 24 From February to September 19, about 8.4 million people left Ukraine. During this time, 7.2 million people entered. Now 1.2 million people from Ukraine are abroad,” the expert said.
Europe is interested in Ukrainians
According to Libanova, in addition to the 1.2 million who are already abroad, an additional 500-600 thousand people may leave. However, if the war escalates and drags on, the maximum number of emigrants could reach 5 million. In addition, there is a risk that men will move in with women abroad after martial law is lifted.
Europe is aging stronger than Ukraine and compensates for this aging with emigrants. The Ukrainians who left are well educated, a significant part of them are children of school and student age. Therefore, if this wave of emigrants stays in Europe for more than a year, there is a risk that the majority will not return home, Libanova said.
to bring Ukrainians home
The director of the Institute of Demography stressed that it is necessary to constantly maintain communication with Ukrainians abroad. Efforts are needed at the level of the state, local communities, schools, kindergartens and employers. In particular, so that employers do not fire workers so as not to lose their workforce.
“I note that with the outbreak of the war, about 180 thousand men who left the country earlier returned to Ukraine. They returned deliberately , with the decision to defend their country. We rely on this level of consciousness when we analyze the prospects for the return of Ukrainians from abroad,” Libanova added.
