Results of the survey of the citizens of Ukraine aged 18+ who had left the country on the onset of Russian aggression in connection with hostilities and now return to Ukraine. The survey was conducted by the Razumkov Centre’s sociological service in Zakarpatia oblast. 105 respondents were interviewed from 11 April through 6 May 2022.

Some results are compared with findings of the survey of the citizens of Ukraine who were leaving the country due to hostilities (the survey was conducted by the Razumkov Centre’s sociological service at the border crossing points in Zakarpatia oblast from 15 March through 1 April 2022 covering 101 respondents).

A portrait of Ukrainian refugees who return to Ukraine

Women make the vast majority of the citizens of Ukraine who left the country on the onset of the Russian aggression and who are now returning to the country (87%), just as women made up the majority of those leaving the country at the beginning of the war.

If people aged 30 to 39 represented the largest group of respondents (37%) among those who left the country at the beginning of the war, their share among the returnees dropped to 25%. This may be due to the fact that among those who return, compared to those who left Ukraine, there are fewer people who travel with children (45% and 63%, respectively), whereas representatives of the age group 30–39 years are most likely to have underage children. Accordingly, among those who enter Ukraine, compared to those who left the country, there are more people who travel alone (31% and 13%, respectively). This means that Ukrainians with underage children are still less likely to return to Ukraine (or, as some of them told interviewers, leave their children with other relatives and return home alone).

Another 6% of respondents said that they returned with grandchildren; 14% with a spouse; 12% with parents (their own or of their spouse); 10.5% with other relatives, 5% with friends and acquaintances.

Similarly to those who left the country, the vast majority of returnees (66%) are people with higher or incomplete higher education, 24% have secondary special education, and only 10.5% have general or incomplete secondary education.

Just like the refugees, the most represented social groups among returnees include skilled workers (23%) and highly qualified specialists (22%). However, there are fewer returning entrepreneurs (8%) compared to those who originally left the country (20%).

More than half of those who left the country were the residents of Ukraine’s East and South (51.5%), as well as central regions (45%, including 31% from the city of Kyiv and Kyiv region), and only 4% came from western regions. As for the returnees, the vast majority (69%) are residents of central regions — mostly residents of Kyiv (35%) and Kyiv region (17%). 12% return to eastern regions, 9% to southern regions, and 10.5% — to western regions.

73% of respondents said that after returning to Ukraine they planned to settle in the same area where they lived before the war, while 26% wanted to settle in another area — this mostly concerns residents of eastern regions.

Those who plan to settle in a region other than the one they lived in before the war are more likely to choose western regions (15% of all respondents), the city of Kyiv or Kyiv region (7%).

Similarly to those who left, most returnees (53%) speak mostly Russian at home, 43% speak Ukrainian, and 1% use another language. But also the majority (72%) of returnees consider Ukrainian their native language; for 16% it is Russian, and 1% have another language as their mother tongue.

79% of respondents reported to have a job before the war. Among those who worked before the war, 49% are confident that they will return to their old workplace; another 28% hope so; 7% hope to find another job; and 16% do not know where they will work and whether they will be able to find a job.

Respondents’s assessment of provided assistance

When asked whether they have received any assistance while abroad, 64% of respondents said they received assistancefrom the host country’s government agencies; 64% received help from the host country’s ordinary citizens who they didnot know before; 56% received help from volunteer organisations; 39% received support from relatives, acquaintances and friends; 29% received support from the Ukrainian state; 18% received help from religious organisations, 18% received help from foreign foundations, institutions and businesses. Only 4% reported receiving no assistance at all.

When assessing support and assistance provided to them in the host country by the authorities, non-governmental organisations and citizens of this country, 62% said they were very happy with it, 29% were rather happy, and 6% were rather unhappy. Not a single respondent said he or she was totally dissatisfied with the provided assistance.

Self-assessment of psychological state

When asked to assess one’s own psychological state on 24 February (the first day of the war) on a scale from 0 to 10, where “0” means “maximum level of calmness and confidence” and “10” means “maximum level of panic, fear and insecurity”, respondents rated it at average 7.9 points (scores by 57% of respondents range from 8 to 10, which corresponds to a high level of panic, fear, insecurity).

While assessing their psychological state at the time of the survey, respondents rated it at 5.5 points. At that point, the share of those who rated their psychological state from 8 to 10 decreased from 57% at the beginning of the war to 15%, which suggests significant improvement of the respondents’ psychological state compared to the beginning of the war.

94% of respondents believe that Ukraine will win this war, and no one thinks otherwise (6% find it hard to answer this question).

Assessment of actions of Ukraine’s state leadership and international assistance

80% of respondents are positive about the actions of Ukraine’s state leadership during the Russian aggression, and only 2% treat them negatively. 18% could not assess them.

47% of respondents consider the international community’s assistance to Ukraine sufficient; for 36%, other countries’ assistance and support should be stronger. For comparison, during the second half of March 2022, similar assessments by those who were leaving Ukraine were 35% and 43%, respectively.

SURVEY RESULTS IN TABLES

(data provided as % of all respondents, if not indicated otherwise)

Respondent’s gender:

Respondent’s age:

Respondent’s education:

Respondent’s social status:

Who do you return from abroad with? (all suitable options)

Which area did you live in before the war (before 24 February)?

Which oblast did you live in before the war (before 24 February)?

After returning to Ukraine, do you plan to settle in the same oblast where you lived before the war, or elsewhere?

If you choose another oblast, which one?

What language do you mostly speak at home?

What language do you consider your mother tongue?

Did you have a job before the war?

Will you have a job after returning to Ukraine?, % of those who had a job before the war

Have you received any assistance while abroad? (all suitable options)

Please assess the support and assistance provided to you in the host country by its government agencies, non-governmental organisations and citizens. How happy are you with this support?

How do you assess the actions of Ukraine’s state leadership during the Russian aggression?

Do you believe that Ukraine will win this war?

Do you consider the international community’s assistance to Ukraine sufficient?

On a scale from 0 to 10, where “0” means “maximum level of calmness and confidence” and “10” means “maximum level of panic, fear and insecurity”, please rate your psychological state on 24 February (the first day of the war)

On a scale from 0 to 10, where “0” means “maximum level of calmness and confidence” and “10” means “maximum level of panic, fear and insecurity”, please rate your current psychological state (when you cross the border)