Ukraine Monthly Media Round-up | March 2022

Vulnerable categories of IDPs can count on aid from UN, IOM in addition to?state?payments

International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, together with Ukrposhta, began to implement the programme to provide financial assistance to internally displaced?persons.

31 March – Interfax

EU is seeking ways to help Ukraine tackle the issue of refugee housing in Lviv?Region

The Ambassador of the European Union in Ukraine Matti Maasikas and other EU officials visited Lviv to meet in person with the Head of Lviv Region Maksym Kozytsky and Lviv City Mayor Andrii Sadovyi to learn first-hand about the humanitarian situation and humanitarian?needs.

31 March – Ukrinform

UN warns of Ukraine refugee “humanitarian crisis”

More than 4 million have fled the war in Ukraine, including 204,000?third-country nationals, according to IOM. Nearly six out of 10 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into?Poland.

31 March – Kyiv Post

Parliament of Canada supports visa-free travel from?Ukraine

Canada currently has a simplified travel regime for Ukrainian citizens, but they need to obtain a visa before travelling to the country. On 30?March, members of the Federal Parliament of Canada supported the immediate abolition of the visa regime with?Ukraine.

30 March – Interfax

Commissioner: EU must “incentivize” Ukrainians to move on from?Poland

Poland, the biggest of four EU countries bordering Ukraine, has taken in 2.3?million?people fleeing the war, or around 60?per?cent of people who have left Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. It is “important to incentivize refugees to leave Poland and actually try to go also to other member states, because otherwise the situation would not be sustainable,” EU commissioner Ylva Johansson?said.

28 March – Kyiv Post

Russia is massively “deporting Ukrainians from occupied?territories”: Ombudsperson

The Ukrainian Ombudsperson Luidmyla Denisova appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross asking to assist in the return of Ukrainians, “illegally deported” by the Russian military forces to Russia from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. According to Denisova, 439,420?civilians, including 91,673?children, were transported by Russia "from dangerous areas of Ukraine", which she calls a violation of Art.?49 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. The Russian authorities deny accusations, stating that people were evacuated?voluntarily.

27 March – Ukrinform

Traffickers and online trolls target Facebook Ukrainian refugee?group

As the war entered its second month, millions of Ukrainians continue fleeing to neighbouring countries. Concerns are raising over their safety as online trolls and potential traffickers flock to the Ukrainian refugee group on Facebook in order to take advantage of?the?crisis.

25 March – Euronews

Ukrainian Ombudsperson calls on European countries to prevent labour, sexual exploitation of refugees from?Ukraine

Liudmyla Denisova, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, calls on European countries to take measures to counter the trafficking of Ukrainian women and children forced to migrate due to hostilities in?Ukraine.

25 March – Interfax

United States will welcome up to 100,000?Ukrainian?refugees

White House officials said that the refugees would be received through “the full range of legal pathways,” including the U.S. refugee admissions programme, which leads to permanent residence, or a green card. Others may be granted visas or “humanitarian parole,” a temporary form of entry offered to displaced people in wartime and other?emergencies.

24 March – The New York Times

Denmark does not consider integration of Ukrainian refugees?as?necessary

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Ukrainian refugees should not be integrated into Danish society, because after some time they will need to go home to rebuild their?country.

22 March – Interfax

Europe must be prepared for even larger refugee flow from Ukraine – EP?President

While the Temporary Protection Directive is a good start, Europe must be self-organized to be able to address the “situation if more people flee from Putin's indiscriminate shelling”, said the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola during her visit?to?Kyiv.

22 March – Ukrinform

Finland ready to accept more Ukrainian refugees, PM?assures

Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin said that a relatively small number of refugees had so far arrived in Finland. According to the migration services, 7,916?Ukrainian citizens had applied?for?asylum.

21 March – Interfax

Ukraine calls on Israeli authorities to cancel quota policy on reception of Ukrainian?refugees

Earlier, Israel introduced new entry rules for citizens of Ukraine. Instead of the usual visa-free regime, the country has introduced an alternative procedure for authorizing a trip with permission from the Ministry of Internal?Affairs.

17 March – Interfax

IOM warns of increased risk of trafficking in persons for people fleeing?Ukraine

Instances of sexual violence have already been reported and among the individuals promising onward transportation or services, there have been indications of potential?exploitation.

16 March – IOM

UK has issued visas with temporary residence permit for 4,000?Ukrainian?refugees

Unlike the European Union, which allows Ukrainians to stay under temporary protection, the UK has retained entry control as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was reasonable to have a basic opportunity to vet those entering the country. There are two main ways to obtain a British refugee visa: an applicant must either have relatives in the UK or a designated UK sponsor to stay in?the?country.

15 March – Interfax

Greece to take some Ukrainian refugees from?Poland

According to Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarakis, this decision was taken after an appeal by the Polish government. Mitarakis also noted Greece could accept about 30,000 Ukrainian?refugees. If there are more refugees, Greece could apply for emergency EU funding to cover?the?costs.

11 March – Interfax

Estonia simplifies reception of refugees from?Ukraine

Refugees from Ukraine can apply for a residence permit in one day. Persons under temporary protection, as well as those close to them, are provided with services such as accommodation and meals, health insurance, they are granted the right to work in Estonia, and children are provided with access to pre-school and basic?education.

8 March – Interfax

European Council unanimously introduces temporary protection for persons fleeing the?war?in?Ukraine

This mechanism aims to provide immediate protection to displaced persons who are not in a position to return to their country of origin. The objective is to alleviate pressure on national asylum systems and to allow displaced persons to enjoy harmonized rights across?the?EU.

4 March – Council of the EU