Ukraine: Returns to unsafe frontline areas: exploring the drivers of return and the experiences of returnees in Zaporizka Oblast, September 2026

Country: Ukraine Source: REACH Initiative Please refer to the attached file. Introduction As displacement patterns in Ukraine have become relatively stable, a notable share of returnees continues to return to areas within reach of the front line. Returns within 30 kilometres of the front line or border with the Russian Federation account for roughly one-third of return movements1 . Decisions to return often reflect an interplay of economic exhaustion, housing accessibility, psychological and rel