As five million people have already fled Ukraine and another seven million are displaced internally, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly T. Clements urged the Security Council on Tuesday to ‘put aside’ its divisions and find a way to end the “horrific and senseless war”, now in its eighth week. Speaking from Hungary, where almost half a million Ukrainians have sought safety, she updated that neighbouring countries are including refugees in national education, health and social programmes.

“This inclusive approach is – bar none – the best way for refugees to sustain their lives in exile, and it requires more international support”. 

The UN also estimates that 13 million more are in the hardest hit areas, many unable to move and difficult to safely reach with aid.

Beyond blankets and cash

“No pile of blankets, no sum of cash, no amount of medicine, is going to halt the death and destruction,” the Deputy High Commissioner emphasized.  “While we will continue our job to deliver aid, we need this Council to do its job too.”

Noting that she had just returned from the Czech Republic and Austria, where she described the compassion and solidarity as being unprecedented, Ms. Clements said her visit, which will continue to Slovakia, complements those of High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, including to Ukraine, and Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou – who is currently visiting Moldova and Romania.

While the scale and speed of displacement is immense, she urged the Council not to lose sight of what these figures mean. 

Ms. Clements shared the story of a 25-year-old woman from Odessa ­– whom she met in Prague – that was compelled to leave her family behind in Ukraine.

“Each one of the millions displaced are forced to make impossible, heart-breaking decisions,” she said.

Inspiring responses

The senior UN official also recounted “consistently remarkable” acts of humanity that have been seen in messages of support plastered on apartments, windows, and streetlamps as well as individuals rallying to provide what they can. 

Moreover, concerned States have kept their borders open, providing protection to those seeking safety and aid. 

“We call on that to continue in a non-discriminatory manner for all people in need,” she stated.

These inspiring responses are only surpassed by the strength and composure of refuges themselves, who continue to exude courage and resilience, Ms. Clements pointed out.

Most of all she said, they emphasize their hope for peace so they can return home. © IOM/Alissa Everett

A young Ukrainian refugee uses Google translate, Poland.

Trapped inside

“We will continue to expand our lifesaving aid to the internally displaced throughout Ukraine,” Ms. Clements affirmed, especially in the centre and the east – where a brutal humanitarian nightmare is unfolding. 

This requires not just resources, but also safe and unhindered access to people in need, she said.

Heightened risks of trafficking

Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Antonio Vitorino warned that the increased targeting of cities will lead to more civilian casualties and displacement, both internal and external. 

He called on parties to the conflict to uphold their international law obligations to protect noncombatants, their homes and civilian infrastructure.

Highlighting several specific risks faced by internally displaced people, refugees and third-country nationals, Mr. Vitorino warned that in situations of mass displacement, up to 30 per cent of the population will experience some form of negative psychological impact. 

He voiced particular concern over the women and children who have fled or been displaced. 

Human trafficking was a known phenomenon in the region and past crises have demonstrated that large-scale displacement, family separation and disruption of civil protection and community networks render these individuals vulnerable to violence, exploitation and abuse. 

The IOM chief urged all neighbouring and impacted countries to ensure the immediate identification and registration of unaccompanied and separated children fleeing from Ukraine.

Understanding refugees needs

Moving forward, Mr. Vitorino called for a better understanding of the intentions of those fleeing; people forced to leave their homes; and individuals who have been separated from their families due to the conflict. 

IOM will continue, through its teams on the ground, to collect and disseminate information critical to this effort, targeting actions to improve the well-being of all those affected by the war.

“As more people are likely to be displaced, it is crucial to plan ahead and ensure that all those fleeing the war have access to adequate support and services,” stressed the Director-General.

The United Nations continues to provide assistance inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries to people displaced by the ongoing conflict “On the morning of the invasion I left my apartment and spent almost a month in a basement on the outskirts of Mariupol, until I escaped on 23 March. 

The first few days felt like a weird slumber party, just getting together with friends. We had everything we needed…until we didn’t. 

First the electricity went, when Russia bombed the city’s electrical system.

Laptops and cell phones began to run out of battery. 

Then the Russians targeted the water system. We filled up all the buckets we possibly

could while the taps were still running, but we quickly realized that a lack of drinking water would be a huge problem.

And then we heard a large blast, and the gas went out, which meant gathering and chopping wood, and cooking on open fires outside the basement entrance.

‘People jumped to their deaths’   

By the end of the second week, we heard continuous shelling approaching from the northern part of the city, targeting residential districts near us. Two missiles hit a nine-storey building on the other side of the road, right across from our basement. We saw the fourth floor engulfed in flames and people jumping to their deaths.

Whenever a missile landed close by, it felt like it was going straight through us. We would feel the shockwaves; the cracks in the basement wall and floor would widen with every single hit, and we would wonder if the foundations of the building could take it.  

‘I don’t know if my father is alive’ 

Early in the invasion, a communication station behind one of the residential high-rises was targeted by the Russians. 

I knew why it was being done: To leave us completely helpless and hopeless, demoralized, and cut off from the outside world.  

I lost contact with my father.  He was on the other side of the city and I was not sure if I would ever see him again. I only hoped that he would walk over to us, since he knew the address, but he never did. I still don’t know if he’s alive. I don’t know if he was taken to Russia by force. 

Rumours began spreading about how the city had fallen, how it was now Russian territory. We heard horrific stories of Chechens roaming the streets, raping women, killing civilians at point blank range, and how dangerous it was to even try to leave because of active fighting on all three sides of the city. 

So, no one dared to escape. Because of the lack of communication with the outside world, it felt as if there was a huge mass murder taking place right around me, and that the world had no idea, and would never find out the true scale of what was happening. 

Fear of rape 

I had two main fears. One was rape – which is used as a weapon of war by the Russian military, and we all knew this – and the second one was being either taken to Russia by force or to the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. 

I also worried about Mariupol being proclaimed as part of the Donetsk People’s Republic – barring any hope of my leaving. 

I just kept thinking, will they let us out? Is there a way out? 

An opportunity to escape 

Anyone who didn’t get out in the first three or four days, was unable to leave afterwards, because of active fighting and Russian forces approaching the city from all three sides. 

All we could do was wait for a possible corridor to open up. Around the second week of the war, a rumour spread on a Russian Telegram [social media platform] channel, that an organized column was gathering at the theatre, heading west towards Manhush. 

Everyone who had a vehicle and enough fuel, put some white pieces of cloth on their side mirrors to signify that they were civilians trying to flee, and went to the collection point. 

But there was nothing. It turned out to be a false rumour.  

By 20 March, the Russians has completely taken over the strip of land by the Azov Sea, from Berdyansk and Manhush, all the way to the outskirts of Mariupol. 

Three days later we decided to leave despite reports of civilians being targeted, as the city was being under siege by carpet and precision bombings.   

I saw with my own eyes how they aimed at apartment buildings, as if they were playing a computer game.  

We were running out of food and water. I hadn’t had a shower for a month. 

‘Horrific’ journey 

At 7:00 AM on the morning of 23 March, we started out for Zaporizhzhia. After 16 Russian checkpoints, a trip that usually took three hours cost us more than 14. 

The drive itself was horrific. The Russian military strip-searched us, checking documents and detaining every male. But once we reached the Ukrainian checkpoint near the entry to Zaporizhzhia, we heard the Ukrainian language. 

It felt like we had made it, like we were relatively safe. 

Despite feeling as though I was getting out of this black hole of destruction and death, Zaporizhzhia itself wasn’t safe; there were constant air raids. 

But we had made it out of Mariupol and couldn’t believe we were alive.