Before the start of what the U.N. Refugee Agency called the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, years of armed conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic were already creating significant humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
“The focus of our assistance prior to the escalation focused on long-term programming such as the capacity building of duty bearers, mine clearance, victim assistance, and explosive ordnance risk education rather than emergency response as such even though that is our global expertise,” Julian Zakrzewski, Ukraine country director for the Danish Refugee Council, or DRC, told Devex.
But development organizations had to redouble and recalibrate their efforts after Russia launched its full-scale invasion last February.
About the author
Justin Sablich
Justin is a contributing writer and editor who previously led Devex’s careers content strategy. Before joining Devex, Justin served as the managing editor of Springwise, covering sustainable and climate-tech innovation across all business sectors. He also spent over 13 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times, specializing in digital content production and strategy while producing written and multimedia content on a range of topics, including travel, sports, and technology.
