For 1.5M returning Ukrainians, home is an active warzone – millions of children at risk, World Vision warns

KYIV, Ukraine – 4.2 million returnees are currently living in Ukraine, including 1.55 million people – 37% of all returnees – in frontline areas where active conflict is ongoing, raising urgent concerns that for millions of children, “going home” does not yet mean reaching safety, World Vision warns. 

A new World Vision report highlights a deepening humanitarian reality: return does not mark the end of displacement, and for many children, “home” is still a place shaped by insecurity, deprivation and ongoing risk.

“Children are not simply returning home – they are returning into an environment where war, fear and deprivation continue to shape every aspect of daily life. Without sustained investment in protection and recovery, return risks becoming another cycle of vulnerability,” said Arman Grigoryan, World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response Director. 

Despite widespread return driven by the desire for family reunification, the reality on the ground remains unstable. In World Vision’s wider research across frontline regions, 59% of children reported having seen or heard shelling or attacks, 49% said they felt worried or scared due to nearby bombing, and 39% had already experienced displacement, underscoring how exposure to conflict continues even after families return home.

For many children, homecoming has meant reconnection with relatives, friends and familiar places, but also renewed exposure to air raid alerts, drone and missile strikes, damaged services and explosive hazards in or near communities.

Young people described the tension between emotional relief and ongoing danger. One Ukrainian teenager said, “When I returned, I did not know what would happen next, but I felt joy, it even felt easier to breathe. At the same time, I was worried whether my friends would still be here.” 

Women are carrying a disproportionate share of the burden as families attempt to rebuild. Caregivers described managing children’s fear and emotional distress while also navigating unstable incomes and rising prices. Although food remains available, affordability has become a critical issue, with families reporting significant constraints on basic purchases.

The economic pressure reflects broader inflationary trends, with food prices rising by an estimated 80-90% in many regions since 2022, further compounding hardship for households already affected by displacement, loss of livelihoods and war-related disruption.

Beyond physical insecurity and economic strain, the research highlights the enduring psychological toll on children. Caregivers reported anxiety, sleep disruption, sadness, withdrawal and persistent fear linked to air raids and past displacement experiences. While return can bring emotional relief and a sense of belonging, many children continue to carry trauma from years of war and instability.

Young people consistently identified access to friends, safe spaces and community life as central to their wellbeing, underscoring the importance of restoring not only infrastructure but also social cohesion in returnee communities.

“Success should not be measured by how many people return, but by whether children are able to rebuild safe, healthy and hopeful lives once they arrive home,” said Grigoryan. 

Across Ukraine:

• 10.8 million people, including 2.2 million children, require humanitarian assistance.
• Around 3.7 million people remain internally displaced, while more than 5.6 million Ukrainians continue to seek protection abroad.
• Civilian harm reached its highest level in 2025 since the beginning of the full-scale war.
• The 2026 humanitarian response plan remains significantly underfunded, with only 42.7% of required funding available as of June 2026.

World Vision is urging increased flexible, multi-year funding that bridges humanitarian response and long-term recovery, including child protection services, mental health and psychosocial support, safe education, mine risk education, support for women-headed households and investment in essential local services.
 

Notes to Editor: 

The policy brief draws on qualitative research conducted by World Vision in May 2026 with returnee caregivers and young people in frontline and conflict-affected areas of Ukraine, including Mykolaivska oblast and Kyiv, through household interviews and focus group discussions with women, men and adolescents aged 14-18.

World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response has supported children and families affected by the war since March 2022, reaching more than 2.3 million people, including over 1 million children, through programmes focused on child protection, education, mental health and psychosocial support, livelihoods, cash assistance, winterisation and basic needs.
 

For further information, please contact: 

Laurentia Jora | Advocacy & Communications Manager | Email: laurentia_jora@wvi.org