JRL NEWSWATCH: “Deepening Poverty Grips Ukraine, Spurs Resilience” – WSJ
“Russia’s invasion has brought about the most severe economic hardship since the end of the Soviet Union.”
“… Russia’s invasion has pushed the number of Ukrainians living in poverty to nearly a quarter of the population, … the most acute economic hardship the country has experienced since independence in 1991. … One-fifth of the country is now reliant on humanitarian aid … with 44% of households saying they didn’t have enough money to meet essential needs. One-third of the population of 44 million is displaced within Ukraine or abroad … 2.4 million have lost their jobs. … [D]espite losing property and income, many Ukrainians say they have gained a sense of unity and belonging as society mobilizes … [for] the war. Priorities have also shifted from individual well-being to the survival of family members and the state. … Ukrainians have known hardship before: from the economic turmoil that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union to the Soviet famines, repressions and World War II. …”