A Temporary Home: Where Ukraine’s Internally Displaced People Live — and How Their Numbers Have Changed
Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine continues to experience one of the largest internal migrations in its modern history. As of November 2025, the country has registered 4.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). New data from the Ministry of Social Policy and an NV infographic reveal where the largest IDP populations are concentrated and how displacement patterns have evolved.
Who Ukraine’s IDPs Are
According to official government data, 4.6 million Ukrainians are registered as internally displaced persons — people forced from their homes by active fighting, occupation, or the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Breakdown:
2.7 million women
1.8 million men
3.7 million adults (18+)
837,000 children and teenagers under 18
These figures highlight the scale of disruption in families, communities, and church life across the country.
Where Most IDPs Live Today
The highest concentrations of displaced people are found in eastern and central Ukraine, where cities became humanitarian hubs from the first weeks of the invasion.
Top regions by number of IDPs:
Dnipropetrovsk — 557,000
Kharkiv — 415,000
Kyiv (city) — 348,000
Kyiv region — 324,000
Zaporizhzhia — 230,000
Odesa — 221,000
Poltava — 168,000
Lviv — 152,000
Mykolaiv — 139,000
Cherkasy — 128,000
Vinnytsia — 122,000
Sumy — 98,000
Ivano-Frankivsk — 93,000
Kirovohrad — 84,000
Khmelnytskyi — 80,000
Zhytomyr — 74,000
Ternopil — 67,000
Chernihiv — 65,000
Zakarpattia — 62,000
Chernivtsi — 50,000
Rivne — 50,000
Volyn — 40,000
Source: Ukraine Internal Displacement Report, October 2025.
Internal Displacement Within the Same Region
More than one in four IDPs has remained within their home region, relocating from frontline communities to safer districts.
Highest levels of internal regional displacement:
Kharkiv — 53%
Zaporizhzhia — 48%
Dnipropetrovsk — 44%
Sumy — 35%
Mykolaiv — 31%
These movements show how people often try to stay close to home, church, extended family, and familiar communities — even in wartime.
Kyiv: IDP Numbers Continue to Rise
The capital remains one of the key destinations for displaced Ukrainians, offering more opportunities for education, employment, social services, and stable housing.
IDP population in Kyiv:
170,000 — in 2022
370,000 — in 2023
420,000 — in 2024
Over 433,000 — in 2025
Kyiv’s population has absorbed waves of displacement, reflecting both the pressures and the resilience of urban infrastructure.
Conclusion
Nearly five million Ukrainians still cannot return home. The scale of displacement remains unprecedented. As the war continues, Ukrainian regions are adapting their infrastructure, social services, and housing systems to support millions seeking safety. For many families, churches and local communities have become essential centers of care, support, and hope.
