After the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2014, in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion from Russian and Belarusian territory into northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine. This has resulted in mass displacement within Ukraine and abroad, mostly to the EU.
As at early 2024, an estimated 52,000 refugees from Ukraine remained in Bulgaria, around 80% of whom were women and girls. The majority of the displaced were from southeastern Ukraine. An IOM survey conducted in the first quarter of 2023 showed that around 85% of the displaced intended to stay in Bulgaria for the foreseeable future. Most lived in the coastal area and in large cities, such as Sofia and Plovdiv.
Since March 2022, over 170,000 people have applied for temporary protection status. This status grants refugees from Ukraine access to healthcare, work, and education. The main challenges that refugees face are language barriers and a lack of livelihoods, which can affect their access to essential services, such as medical care.
The main needs identified in the 2024 Regional Response Plan for Bulgaria are basic needs such as food and accomdation, protection, and livelihoods, followed by cash assistance, health, child protection, and education.
(CFR accessed 23/11/2023, UNHCR accessed 29/01/2024, Govt. Bulgaria accessed 29/01/2024, IOM 15/05/2023, OCHA 15/01/2024)
After the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2014, in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion from Russian and Belarusian territory into northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine. This has resulted in mass displacement within Ukraine and abroad, mostly to the EU.
As at early 2024, an estimated 52,000 refugees from Ukraine remained in Bulgaria, around 80% of whom were women and girls. The majority of the displaced were from southeastern Ukraine. An IOM survey conducted in the first quarter of 2023 showed that around 85% of the displaced intended to stay in Bulgaria for the foreseeable future. Most lived in the coastal area and in large cities, such as Sofia and Plovdiv.
Since March 2022, over 170,000 people have applied for temporary protection status. This status grants refugees from Ukraine access to healthcare, work, and education. The main challenges that refugees face are language barriers and a lack of livelihoods, which can affect their access to essential services, such as medical care.
The main needs identified in the 2024 Regional Response Plan for Bulgaria are basic needs such as food and accomdation, protection, and livelihoods, followed by cash assistance, health, child protection, and education.
(CFR accessed 23/11/2023, UNHCR accessed 29/01/2024, Govt. Bulgaria accessed 29/01/2024, IOM 15/05/2023, OCHA 15/01/2024)
