Four years of war leave one in three Ukrainian children displaced - UNIСEF report

Key points

• Scale: Every third child in Ukraine is displaced (more than 2.5 million in total).
• Trend: The number of affected children has been growing for the third consecutive year – in 2025 alone, the figure increased by 10%.
• Infrastructure crisis: 1,700 schools and 200 hospitals were damaged over the past year, depriving children of basic services.
• Psychological impact: 25% of older teenagers do not see their future in Ukraine because of the war.

Geography of displacement and security risks

According to the organization, the total number of displaced children stands at 2,589,900.

Breakdown:

• Inside Ukraine: more than 791,000 children
• Abroad (refugee status): nearly 1,798,900 children

UNICEF Regional Director Regina De Dominicis stressed that safety is becoming less accessible as attacks on civilian areas continue across the country.

Many teenagers — one in three aged 15–19 — have been forced to relocate at least twice.

Infrastructure destruction and humanitarian challenges

The war has delivered catastrophic blows to systems children depend on:

• Education: More than 1,700 schools were damaged or destroyed; every third child is unable to study offline.
• Healthcare: Nearly 200 medical facilities were confirmed destroyed in 2025 alone.
• Casualties: Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 3,200 children have been killed or injured. In 2025, the number of affected children rose by 10% year-on-year.

Psychological pressure and loss of hope

Alongside physical threats and a lack of heating due to energy infrastructure attacks, mental health is becoming critical.

A survey showed that every fourth teenager in Ukraine is losing hope for a future inside the country because of constant fear and social isolation in shelters.

Earlier, we reported that Ireland automatically extended immigration permissions for Ukrainians under temporary protection until spring 2027.