Refugee from Ukraine Katerina holding her son Arsen.
© UNHCR/Anna Liminowicz

Ukraine Crisis Appeal

Help Ukrainians survive another winter at war.

From schools to apartment blocks, maternity wards to cafes, nowhere in Ukraine is safe.  

The people of Ukraine are now facing a third year of full-scale war.  

Devastating attacks continue every day. Over 10 million people have had to flee for their lives. Homes, hospitals, schools and energy infrastructure have been destroyed.

Now, Ukrainians are facing another brutal winter.

Winter in Ukraine is desperately cold, and storms can be deadly. Many families are sheltering in badly damaged houses or crowded accommodation centres without proper heating or insulation.

Please donate now to help repair damaged homes, insulate shelters and provide winter clothing for families in need. Your gift can bring safety and warmth for Ukrainians enduring a harsh winter. 

"The previous winter was terrible. Blackouts, cold and greyness."

The people of Ukraine urgently need shelter and protection amidst devasting attacks. Your donation can provide safety and warmth for mothers like Olha struggling to provide for their families. 

Olha fled from Dnipro with her son and now lives in Poland.
© UNHCR/Anna Liminowicz

For those able to escape across the border, the emergency isn't over. 

Refugees have been forced to leave everything behind to reach safety in countries such as Poland and Moldova. 

They need a safe place to stay, cash to buy basic items such as food and clothing and access to counselling and legal aid.

The majority of refugees fleeing Ukraine are women and children, who need additional support. Together with partners, UNHCR has established Blue Dot protection hubs across the region to support the most vulnerable, such as unaccompanied children, young mothers and older people. 

Accommodation

Your gift can help us repair damaged homes and upgrade shelters to provide safe, warm places for people fleeing the war.

Basic Needs

Your gift can provide cash assistance to help refugees cover their basic needs, including shelter, food and electricity.

Social Services

Your gift can help displaced people access social services and psychological support such as counselling.

"It was a miracle. We did not expect to receive this assistance. We can pay the bills and stay warm."

Elina and her son Mykyta fled their home in Donetsk and now live in a shelter for displaced people in Dnipro, where UNHCR is providing cash assistance to help families cover basic needs like food, medicine and utility bills.

UNHCR supports displaced people in Dnipro with winter assistance
© UNHCR/Viktoriia Tiutiunnyk

About Ukraine Emergency

How can I help Ukrainian refugees?

You can support refugees enduring another winter at war by making a donation.

What difference will my donation make?

Your donation can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and people displaced within the country. Your gift can provide cash assistance, psychological support, and relief items such as blankets and warm clothing. With your help, UNHCR can also repair and insulate damaged homes to keep Ukrainians safe and warm during a brutal winter.

How is UNHCR helping refugees from Ukraine?

Your donation can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and people displaced within the country. Your gift can provide cash assistance, psychological support, and relief items such as blankets and warm clothing. With your help, UNHCR can also repair and insulate damaged homes to keep Ukrainians safe and warm during a brutal winter.

Where can refugees from Ukraine can get information and request assistance?

If you are seeking information or support inside Ukraine, please visit the UNHCR Ukraine HELP Website.

If you are seeking information or support, visit the HELP Page for the country you have fled to:

Is UNHCR able to operate in Ukraine now? What support is being provided?

UNHCR remains present in Ukraine and neighbouring countries responding to the humanitarian needs of refugees and internally displaced people. Inside Ukraine, UNHCR and its partners have expanded operations to frontline areas where help is most needed. Our teams are renovating and improving centres for displaced Ukrainians and providing assistance including emergency shelter materials, relief items, legal advice and counselling for families forced to flee.

In neighbouring countries, UNHCR is working with host communities to support the inclusion of refugees in socio-economic activities and provide them with access to essential services including education, employment, housing, social welfare and medical assistance.

Is UN/UNHCR evacuating its staff from Ukraine?

Staff safety remains our utmost priority. UNHCR staff are present across Ukraine, delivering assistance wherever access and security allow. Our teams have expanded their operations to hard-to-reach areas in east and south Ukraine, including areas recently retaken by Ukraine where the needs remain acute.

What are your capacities in the region? How many staff do you have there?

UNHCR has a longstanding presence in the region, working with national authorities on refugee-related matters. We have offices in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. UNHCR also established a country office in Moldova in 2022.

UNHCR has scaled up its presence significantly to stay and deliver for those in need. As of February 2023, there are over 320 staff in Ukraine and 404 in neighbouring countries.

Our fundraising impact

The majority of funds raised by Australia for UNHCR are directed to UNHCR’s emergency operations, providing the ready funds and resources to respond quickly and effectively in situations of crisis and disaster.

75%
Humanitarian programs
13%
Admin
12%
Fundraising