Poland — Ukrainian Nationals Crossing Back to Ukraine — Annual Report (2023)

Key Findings:

• Among respondents, 46 per cent spent more than one year in displacement. 20 per cent of respondents had spent less than a month in displacement at the time of the interview.
• The majority of respondents (57%) were travelling back to Ukraine alone. The remaining 43 per cent of survey respondents were crossing back into Ukraine as part of a group. 95 per cent of respondents travelling with a group (N=1,998) were travelling with their immediate family
• Out of 4,650 respondents, 86 per cent were planning to return to the same oblast of origin while the remaining 14 per cent aimed to reach a different one. Out of those returning to a different oblast (N=667), 16 per cent were originally from Donetska oblast, 14 per cent from Dnipropetrovska, 13 per cent from Zaporizka, and 12 per cent from Kyiv city.
• The percentage of respondents that had been residing in Poland prior to crossing back to Ukraine decreased steadily from 59 per cent in the first quarter of 2023 to 46 per cent in the fourth quarter (overall 50%).
• Overall, the top four most frequently indicated reasons for returning to Ukraine for the long-term were missing home (52%), reuniting with family (20%), working in essential services (16%), and because they had been visiting someone abroad but reside in Ukraine (15%).
• The proportion of respondents that reported having experienced discrimination has steadily risen from seven per cent in the first quarter to 18 per cent in the fourth quarter.
• Of respondents who received humanitarian assistance, the most frequently reported type was financial support (86%), for which the percentage has increased throughout the quarters of 2023.