• Login
  • Register
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In
The Daily Sceptic
No Result
View All Result

How Many Ukrainians Have Been Forcibly Transferred to Russia?

by Noah Carl
5 February 2023 1:00 PM

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spawned Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, almost eight million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded in Europe and other neighbouring countries, with an additional 250,000 having left for North America.

Ukraine’s pre-war population (excluding Crimea) was estimated to be around 41 million, which means that almost one in five Ukrainians have left the country. An additional fraction of the population has been internally displaced.

Because men are banned from leaving, at least 85% of those who’ve fled are women. (Depending on how many eventually return, this could dramatically upset the country’s gender balance.)

Scanning the numbers of Ukrainian refugees recorded in different countries around the world, one figure stands out – the number recorded in Russia. According to the UNHCR, 2.85 million refugees are residing there, more than in any other country. Indeed, 2.85 million is almost 36% of the total number of Ukrainian refugees.

At first glance, the fact that such a large number of Ukrainians have fled to Russia would seem to support Putin’s claims about the persecution of ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine. At the very least, it would seem to undermine the Western narrative that Ukrainians are united in wanting to join the West.  

Indeed, 36% is similar to the proportion of Ukrainians who favoured joining the Russian-led Eurasian Customs Union, rather than the European Union, in polls taken before the ‘Revolution of Dignity’. For example, in September of 2013, 37% said they favoured the Eurasian Customs Union, versus 42% who said they favoured the EU.

Yet the number of refugees in Russia can’t be taken at face value. Western sources claim that many Ukrainians residing in Russia were sent there involuntarily. Last July, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that “Russian authorities have interrogated, detained, forcibly deported between 900,000 and 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens”.

This allegation was repeated by America’s ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Russia dismissed it as a “fantasy”.

In her speech, the U.S. ambassador referred to evidence gathered by Human Rights Watch,  the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab – each of which has investigated allegations of forced deportations by Russian authorities. (The Associated Press has also looked into such allegations.)

The investigation by Human Rights Watch is the most extensive. They interviewed several dozen Ukrainians, and concluded that “most of the cases” they documented “amount to forcible transfers” and potentially, therefore, war crimes.

However, what’s not clear is how representative these cases are. The number of Ukrainians interviewed by HRW is a tiny percentage of 2.85 million, and the cases are unlikely to have been selected at random. This isn’t necessarily a failing of HRW; gathering reliable information on refugees is difficult, especially in the middle of a war.  

Indeed, the organisation states that “the total number of Ukrainian civilians transferred to Russia – either voluntarily or involuntarily – remains unclear”. And to my knowledge, U.S. officials have not explained how they obtained the figure of “between 900,000 and 1.6 million” deported Ukrainians.

In September, the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights stated that “in the cases documented by the OHCHR” Ukrainians transferred to Russia “have had freedom of movement”. Which is consistent with HRW’s finding that “all 18 people” they interviewed who went to Russia subsequently left. (HRW interviewed 54 Ukrainians who either went to Russia, went through Russian ‘filtration’, knew people who went there, or helped people leave Russia; of these, 18 went to Russia.)

However, the Assistant Secretary-General did also refer to “credible allegations of forced transfers of unaccompanied children” – transfers that may involve illegal changes to children’s personal status, including nationality. Russia, again, denied these allegations.

While Ukrainians in Russia are “technically free to leave”, the Associated Press reports, many fear that “if they return, Ukraine will prosecute them for going to the enemy” – a fear that is “encouraged by Russian officials”. Others lack the money or documents needed to travel long distances.

Another point worth noting is that the figure of 2.85 million Ukrainian refugees in Russia may itself be inflated. This was the conclusion of the University of Texas Global Disinformation Lab, after they analysed satellite imagery of crossings at the Russia-Ukraine border.

At the present time, we don’t know how many Ukrainians were forcibly transferred to Russia. While there’s evidence that the number is greater than zero, very high estimates put forward by U.S. officials have not been independently verified.

Many of those sent to Russia involuntarily have been able to leave (albeit without any support from Russian authorities) which suggests the stock of Ukrainian refugees in Russia may comprise a large number of individuals who are residing there voluntarily. On the other hand, some may have stayed due to practical constraints.

Tags: RefugeesRussiaUkraine

Donate

We depend on your donations to keep this site going. Please give what you can.

Donate Today

Comment on this Article

You’ll need to set up an account to comment if you don’t already have one. We ask for a minimum donation of £5 if you'd like to make a comment or post in our Forums.

Sign Up
Previous Post

Meghan Markle’s Podcast Is a Classic Example of Get Woke, Go Broke

Next Post

West Blocked Ukraine Peace Deal, Says Former Israeli PM

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please log in to comment

To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.

Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.

18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

DONATE

PODCAST

The Sceptic | Episode 40: Rob Bates on Stopping Britain Becoming Majority-Minority, Tilak Doshi on Trump vs Green Blob and Mario Trabucco on Osborne’s Elgin Marbles Betrayal

by Richard Eldred
13 June 2025
1

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

Big Brother Lives Next Door

16 June 2025
by Matthew Corrigan

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Establishment in Denial Over Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Report Finds

16 June 2025
by Will Jones

Pakistan “Will Nuke Israel if Netanyahu Uses Nuclear Weapons Against Tehran”, Iran Claims

16 June 2025
by Will Jones

Establishment in Denial Over Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Report Finds

41

How Nuclear Power Might Save The Day

16

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

25

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

18

The Link Between Asylum Seekers and New Rape Gang Cases Will Fuel Public Anger

14

The Link Between Asylum Seekers and New Rape Gang Cases Will Fuel Public Anger

17 June 2025
by Laurie Wastell

Big Brother Lives Next Door

16 June 2025
by Matthew Corrigan

Please Give Generously to Keep the Daily Sceptic Afloat

16 June 2025
by Toby Young

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

POSTS BY DATE

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Jan   Mar »

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union

NEWSLETTER

View today’s newsletter

To receive our latest news in the form of a daily email, enter your details here:

POSTS BY DATE

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Jan   Mar »

DONATE

LISTED ARTICLES

  • Most Read
  • Most Commented
  • Editor’s Picks

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

Big Brother Lives Next Door

16 June 2025
by Matthew Corrigan

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Establishment in Denial Over Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Report Finds

16 June 2025
by Will Jones

Pakistan “Will Nuke Israel if Netanyahu Uses Nuclear Weapons Against Tehran”, Iran Claims

16 June 2025
by Will Jones

Establishment in Denial Over Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Report Finds

41

How Nuclear Power Might Save The Day

16

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

25

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

18

The Link Between Asylum Seekers and New Rape Gang Cases Will Fuel Public Anger

14

The Link Between Asylum Seekers and New Rape Gang Cases Will Fuel Public Anger

17 June 2025
by Laurie Wastell

Big Brother Lives Next Door

16 June 2025
by Matthew Corrigan

Please Give Generously to Keep the Daily Sceptic Afloat

16 June 2025
by Toby Young

How Covid Killed the Rule of Law

16 June 2025
by Nick McBride

Why Is Doctor Who So Gay? Because so Are His Current Creators

16 June 2025
by Steven Tucker

SOCIAL LINKS

Free Speech Union
  • Home
  • About us
  • Donate
  • Privacy Policy

Facebook

  • X

Instagram

RSS

Subscribe to our newsletter

© Skeptics Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
  • About
  • Archive
    • ARCHIVE
    • NEWS ROUND-UPS
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Premium
  • Donate
  • Log In

© Skeptics Ltd.

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment