A new surge of refugees will flee Ukraine this winter, Unicef warned tonight.
The children’s charity is preparing for up to 800,000 people to cross into Poland to escape freezing temperatures and power blackouts following bombing ordered by Vladimir Putin.
Recent Russian drone strikes on infrastructure have left millions without light, heat and water.
Ukrainians were told today they face six-hour scheduled blackouts as bombed equipment is repaired.
Ukrenergo, the sole operator of high-voltage transmission lines, said power cuts will be imposed in areas including the capital Kyiv.
Unicef has supported around 250,000 Ukrainians since April at its five Blue Dot sites in Poland – offering aid, mental health care and access to services – but it is set to open two more.
Manager Dmytro Tretiak said: “Ukrainian infrastructure is being damaged. Every day there is no electricity for hours, which can mean no light, water or anything. As the war continues this winter, the threat for people only grows and we know more will come.
“The signs are the numbers are increasing, there’s always back and forth across the border but we’re seeing way less people going back into Ukraine.”
Unicef said many recent arrivals at Blue Dot centres were deeply traumatised after fleeing war frontline areas such as Mykolaiv and Kharkiv.
Dmytro, 48, said: “Some of them are devastated, some depressed and some have lost someone close to them.”
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