GENEVA—Millions of people displaced by conflicts and persecution in Ukraine, Afghanistan and across the Middle East risk “extreme hardship” in the coming weeks, the United Nations warned on Friday. She pointed to the situation of the millions uprooted from their homes by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many are living in shelters or “in damaged homes or in buildings ill-suited to protect them from the biting cold, with disrupted energy, heating and water supplies, and lost livelihoods,” she said. She pointed out that “this will be the 12th consecutive winter in displacement for many.”Extreme povertyThe situation is particularly dire in Lebanon, in the grips of a severe economic crisis, where nine out of 10 Syrian refugees are already living in extreme poverty, UNHCR warned. ADVERTISEMENTAt the same time, Sarrado warned that there was a significant funding shortfall to address the swelling needs, adding that UNHCR was launching a winter fundraiser to bridge the gaps.
