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Ukrainian Refugees in Poland: Balancing Integration and the Hope of Return
Nearly a million Ukrainian refugees have found temporary homes in Poland, with school-age children making up 41% of this population. Two years after the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, these refugees grapple with complex decisions about establishing new lives and the possibility of returning to Ukraine.
As the conflict continues, eastern and southern Ukraine have become areas of prolonged conflict, marked by ongoing Russian missile strikes. Out of Ukraine’s approximately 37 million citizens, an estimated 14.6 million require humanitarian aid, 3.7 million are displaced within the country, and another 6.5 million have sought refuge abroad.
Approximately half of the Ukrainian refugees in Poland express a desire to return home once hostilities cease. Meanwhile, Polish institutions are adjusting to the likelihood of supporting these individuals for an extended period.
Among the refugees is Dr. Anna Parkhomenko, 42, who fled with her three children from Kharkiv, located near the Russian border, after surviving breast cancer and managing a hospital’s physical therapy department. The onset of the war disrupted their peaceful life, forcing them into a harrowing journey to Poland.
Upon arrival, Parkhomenko and her children initially moved through various temporary accommodations before settling in a shared apartment on the outskirts of Warsaw. Despite the upheaval, Parkhomenko focuses on the safety and opportunities provided in Poland rather than what was lost.
By September 2022, over 1.3 million Ukrainians had registered for temporary protection in Poland, a status that affords them the right to live, work, and access services unlike other refugee groups. While the number of Ukrainian refugees has stabilized at just under a million, dynamics within Poland are shifting.
Initially welcomed warmly, the Polish response has cooled somewhat amid political tensions and economic concerns, highlighted during electoral campaigns. The new coalition government, however, has extended protections until March 2025.
The Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) notes that around 44,000 refugees still reside in collective shelters. These environments, while necessary, pose challenges and risks for residents. Conversely, many refugees manage visits back to Ukraine, though these trips can complicate their legal and regulatory status upon return.
As Poland moves from immediate crisis response to longer-term integration, education remains a critical area of focus. With nearly half of the school-age refugee children not attending Polish schools, alternative educational arrangements like dual schooling systems are in place to maintain Ukrainian cultural and educational ties. One notable initiative is a school run by PCPM that offers Ukrainian curriculum supplemented by Polish and English classes, helping children integrate without losing their cultural identity.
The article also touches on individual stories like that of Sasha, a 16-year-old who finds solace in a school that preserves his Ukrainian educational background, and Yulia, a teacher whose past under Russian occupation shadows her present in Poland.
As the conflict drags on, Parkhomenko, like many others, faces the reality that the war's end might not herald a simple return. With the ongoing dangers near their hometown and the new roots taking hold in Poland, the decision to return to Ukraine remains uncertain, dependent on future developments in the war and their lives in Poland.