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

Country: Ukraine Source: REACH Initiative Please refer to the attached file. Key Findings • Financial hardship in displacement, driven primarily by rental costs, was the most significant push factor for return. The vast majority of respondents (26/29) reported that the cost of living in displacement locations was unsustainable. Conversely, owning property in Sumska Oblast functioned as a powerful economic safety net and pull factor, eliminating a burdensome largest expenditure incurred during di