Mykolaiv, Ukraine, June 18, 2026 — Ahead of World Refugee Day, the International Rescue Committee's President and CEO David Miliband visits conflict-affected communities in southeastern Ukraine, where the recent escalation lays bare the cost of the dismantling of the rules that once set limits on how wars are fought and how crises are managed.
"Ukraine remains a massive crisis of forced displacement. Today I met with IRC clients including a group of women in a small village near Mykolaiv and internally displaced people from Kherson. Alongside the visible destruction of schools, churches and homes are the deep but less visible wounds of more than four years of conflict. But what comes through more strongly than anything else is the tenacity of the people.
It is understandable that there is predominant focus on the military struggle, but the social courage is equally strong for families divided and suffering loss, both human and material. A man told me that having rebuilt his house after bombing, only to see it bombed again, he is now focused on rebuilding his life.
World Refugee Day is a moment to recognize shared humanity. Ukraine is a reminder that wars are won or lost on morale and not just military might. The resolve of Ukrainian civilians is being tested every day. That is why IRC is working here, delivering mobile health support, mental health services and child protection services in partnership with Ukrainian NGOs and aligned with the priorities of the Ukrainian government. "
The IRC has been present in Ukraine since 2022 and operates in Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions. Supporting communities both in urban centers and hard-to-reach rural areas near the frontlines, IRC teams provide critical medical aid, psychological assistance, livelihood and legal support, with a focus on vulnerable groups, especially women and children.