Returning to the front line in Ukraine

As Ukraine enters its fourth year of conflict, vulnerable displaced Ukrainians must make agonizing decisions: to stay far away from home with less aid, fewer job opportunities, and rising living costs, or to return to the most dangerously conflict-affected regions where safety and essential services are almost nonexistent, or to stay elsewhere.

Despite the ongoing violence and insecurity, it is estimated that about 1.6 million people have chosen to make this difficult decision and have since moved to areas 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from the front lines since February 2022.

People who have been displaced for months or even years are exhibiting worrying signs of coping issues when they are not at home. Many people no longer have anything to sell after three years, and their families and friends are unable to support one another.

Many Ukrainian refugees have almost all of their savings run out, and they are becoming more and more debt-averse. Even if their homes are damaged and close to the front lines, for many, returning to them is the only option.

The situation in war-torn regions has never been worse. In areas where humanitarians are increasingly prone to disaster, more and more people are finding it difficult to provide food, water, and medicines to their families.

Constant shelling and attacks impede the provision of basic services and humanitarian aid while putting residents at risk. Seniors make up the majority of those living close to the front lines, accounting for nearly half of all front-line fatalities in 2024.

Humanitarian aid is a lifeline for those who need it most, but with more uncertainty surrounding US funding stumbling blocks, especially in frontline areas, this service is now at risk.

Meet some of the people who have had to make the difficult choices to return, those who have never left, and those who have stayed until the last minute.

Source: Aljazeera