If the war drags on, the maximum number of emigrants from Ukraine may reach 5 million citizens, said Ella Libanova, director of the Institute of Demography and Social Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
“(…) In addition to the 1.2 million who are already abroad, Ukraine may additionally lose at least 500-600 thousand people. The maximum number of emigrants can reach 5 million. This scenario will become real if the war drags on. Under such conditions, there is the risk that after the lifting of martial law, men will start moving in with Ukrainian women with children,” Libanova said during a seminar on Tuesday.
It is noted that in the period from February 24 to September 19, about 8.4 million people left Ukraine. During the same period of time, 7.2 million people entered. At the moment, 1.2 million people from Ukraine are abroad.
“A significant part of them, except for women with children, are small border traffic, business trips, vacations, the departure of foreigners in the first days of the war, crossing borders for the purpose of preferential import of cars, etc.,” said the director of the Institute of Demography and Social Research.
She also noted that “if this wave of emigrants stays in Europe for more than a year, there is a risk that the majority will not return home,” due to the fact that a significant part of the Ukrainians who left are children, and “there is fierce competition for labor resources in the world. Europe is aging more than Ukraine and is compensating for this aging with emigrants.”
“People should feel like Ukrainians and maintain ties with Ukraine. This requires efforts both at the level of the state and local communities, communities, gardens, employers. It is important that employers keep the employment of workers who left Ukraine. Otherwise, after the war, we will lose labor force” , – emphasize at the Institute of Demography and Social Research.
