Why Ukrainians Return: Motivations of Return Migration and its Implications

By Alexander Sicheneder As of January 2023, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had displaced eight million Ukrainians from the country, creating the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.[1] The potential permanent loss of nearly 20% of its population would be catastrophic for the country’s future, especially concerning Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction process. Already today is clear that Ukraine will have to rely heavily on the workforce of its citizens. For the time being,...