Understanding forced internal displacement in Ukraine: insights and lessons for today’s crises

Abstract The contribution of this paper is threefold: first, it accounts for the problem of Ukraine’s forced internal displacement, following the Russian occupation of the Crimea and Donbas regions in 2014; second, this study applies a number of quantitative research methods to provide new insights into the way that individual and destination characteristics of the internally displaced people (IDPs) impact upon their destination preferences; finally, it draws four key policy lessons for dealing with today’s worst humanitarian catastrophe in Europe since 1945. These lessons focus on the individual characteristics of forced migrants for understanding displacement patterns; and the need for full restoration of legitimate democratic government at home as the necessary condition for return. They also highlight that in the extraordinary circumstances of large-scale warfare, life-saving action takes precedence over any other motivations; and the host communities’ perceived sympathy towards the forced migrants’ home nation ultimately determines the choice of settlement.