Ukraine Warupdated 37m ago2 min read
UNHCR Says 9 Million People in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, and Afghanistan Need Winter Aid
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Nine million people across Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan need winter aid. UNHCR launches fundraising appeal seeking at least $50 million for winter support.
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UNHCR warns of winter needs
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said about 9 million people in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, and Afghanistan will need additional assistance to cope with the coming winter cold. The UNHCR said it hopes to raise at least $50 million for winter support, an amount about $3 million more than was raised last year.
“Resources are scarce and costs are rising rapidly, at a time when winter is looming in the northern hemisphere.”
Dominique Hyde warned that “resources are scarce and costs are rising rapidly, as winter looms in the northern hemisphere.” The UNHCR said Ukraine faces its fifth winter since its war with Russia, with temperatures expected to fall below 20°C alongside escalated attacks and power outages that weary the population.
Funding gap and access limits
The UNHCR said it will only be able to reach half of the about 300,000 people expected to need winter assistance in Lebanon due to funding constraints.
The UNHCR said it had to reduce its workforce due to budget cuts, even as it sought $8.5 billion to fund its programs for 2026.
The UNHCR said that as of October 9, only $3 billion was available.
Dominique Hyde said, “Millions in these fragile, war-affected countries face exposure to harsh weather without adequate protection from the cold. We must provide protection to them immediately.”
Ukraine, Russia strikes, and aid
The UNHCR said temperatures in Ukraine are expected to fall below 20°C during the fifth winter since Russia’s invasion, while power outages worsen the suffering of people exhausted by war. The UNHCR said the winter appeal comes as “attacks by the Russian Federation on civilians and humanitarian workers are intensifying, while power outages are worsening the suffering of people exhausted by war.”
The UNHCR said it is preparing for winter needs across the four countries, including Afghanistan where about four million Afghans returned from Pakistan and Iran between January 2025 and July 2026. The UNHCR said it plans to use winter campaign money to repair kits for bombed Ukrainian houses, alongside purchasing heaters in Afghanistan and thermal blankets in Syria and Lebanon.