UN Warns Nine Million People Need Winter Aid Across Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned that around nine million people across Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan will require additional assistance to survive the coming winter, as conflicts, rising living costs and funding shortages deepen humanitarian needs.

Launching a new fundraising appeal on Friday, the UNHCR said it aims to raise at least $50 million to provide emergency winter assistance, $3 million more than it secured last year.

“Resources are scarce and costs are spiralling just as winter looms in the northern hemisphere,” said Dominique Hyde, the agency’s director of external relations.

“Millions in these fragile, war-affected countries risk facing the elements without enough protection from the cold. We need to shield them immediately,” she added.

According to the Geneva-based agency, humanitarian requirements remain substantial across all four countries, where millions of people are struggling with rising food and energy prices, as well as shortages of fuel for heating and cooking.

In Ukraine, the fifth winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion is expected to bring temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. The UNHCR warned that intensified Russian attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers, combined with widespread power outages, could further worsen conditions for people already affected by the war.

In Afghanistan, nearly four million Afghans returned from Pakistan and Iran between January 2025 and July 2026, many arriving with limited financial resources and inadequate support to rebuild their lives, the agency said.

Syria is also facing significant humanitarian challenges despite the return of millions of refugees following the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad. The UNHCR warned that insufficient funding for essential winter supplies, including shelter, clothing and heating fuel, could leave many returnees in increasingly precarious conditions.

In Lebanon, approximately 300,000 people are expected to require winter assistance. However, funding limitations mean the agency can currently reach only around half of those in need.

Global Displacement Remains High Amid Funding Shortfalls

The UNHCR reported that approximately 117.8 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes at the end of 2025. Although the figure represents a slight decline from the record 123.2 million recorded in 2024, global displacement remains at an exceptionally high level.

Despite the continuing humanitarian crisis, the agency has been forced to reduce its workforce because of budget cuts, limiting its capacity to respond to growing needs.

For 2026, the UNHCR sought $8.5 billion to finance its humanitarian programmes worldwide. However, as of October 9, it had secured only $3 billion in available funding.

The agency warned that the widening gap between humanitarian requirements and available resources threatens assistance for millions of displaced people, particularly as freezing temperatures approach across several crisis-hit regions.