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How to Help Ukrainian Refugees

Since Russia launched its invasion, roughly 4 million Ukrainians have fled their country. And a total of 10 million people have left their homes, including those who are now internally displaced.

This massive refugee crisis will likely be long-term, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. In fact, a study she co-authored last year found that only about one-third of refugees return to their home countries even 10 years after a conflict has ended.

If Ukrainians are expected to remain in host countries for years, then supporting them over the long term will be critical. Recent RAND research provides insights into how to do this. For example, one study suggests that both refugees and host countries can benefit by matching workers to areas with ample job opportunities. Another report examined solutions for educating refugee children, who make up about half of those fleeing.

There have been a lot of lessons learned about how caring for refugees and host communities can go wrong, Culbertson says. But that means there's also knowledge about how to mitigate such risks. “Deliberate action can—and should—go a long way toward making this situation right,” she says.The Russian invasion of Ukraine began exactly one month ago yesterday. Our experts have been drawing on a vast body of relevant RAND research, providing key insights on important issues related to Russia's military; Ukraine's resistance; how the West can hold Putin accountable while preventing a wider conflict; the many political, diplomatic, and humanitarian implications of the crisis; and more.

More RAND Insights on the War in Ukraine

• The United States can and should hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for his murderous gambit. But however distasteful it may be to compromise with Moscow, Washington should work to secure a negotiated settlement sooner rather than later, says RAND's Samuel Charap.
• The BBC World Service recently announced that it was restarting daily shortwave radio transmissions to Ukraine. RAND's Benjamin Sacks explains why shortwave is so valuable in the fight against disinformation.
• Sacks and coauthors Abbie Tingstad, Stephanie Pezard, and Scott Stephenson discuss their research on governance in the Arctic and explain how the war could break down long-standing cooperation in this critical region.
• Putin clearly underestimated what may be the single most important factor in war: the will to fight. This is a lesson that military planners would be wise to consider, says RAND's Brian Michael Jenkins.
• Louis-Alexandre Berg of Georgia State University and RAND's Andrew Radin explain why U.S. security assistance may have had success in Ukraine.
• RAND's James Quinlivan argues that there aren't enough Russians to rule Ukraine by “simply sitting on their own bayonets,” even in the areas where Russians are already present. “They would need Ukrainians, indeed many Ukrainians, to help,” he says.
• In Japan, the invasion of Ukraine has ignited a public debate about the country's response to any crisis involving Taiwan, which could include a Chinese attack on Japan. RAND's Jeffrey Hornung has identified four items that Japan should consider.