Ukraine War Refugees Asked Not To Return This Winter

The government tells Ukrainian refugees should not return until spring to help ease pressure on the energy system after a wave of Russian attacks.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, the UN’s refugee agency has recorded about 7.7 million refugees from Ukraine across Europe, including Russia, out of a population of about 44 million.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russian air strikes had destroyed more than a third of the country’s energy sector.

The Deputy Mayor of the western city of Lviv, Serhiy Kiral, told the BBC on Saturday that Russia’s strategy was to damage critical infrastructure before the winter, and bring the war to areas beyond the front line.

On October 8^th Russia began attacking Ukraine’s energy networks in retaliation for an attack on Russia’s rail and road bridge to Crimea.