The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) expects a new wave of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine to Europe this winter due to "unacceptable" living conditions, he said yesterday, Reuters reported. 

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Russia's attacks on Ukraine's electricity infrastructure have left millions without heating, clean water or electricity as temperatures plummet.

Moscow says the attacks are not aimed at civilians and are aimed at reducing Ukraine's fighting capabilities and pushing it toward negotiations.

Kiev, for its part, defines the attacks as a war crime.

"No one knows how many, but there will be hundreds of thousands more (leaving Ukraine) as the horrific and illegal bombing of civilian infrastructure makes living conditions unlivable in too many places," Jan Egeland told Reuters by telephone after returning from trip to Ukraine earlier this month.

"That is why I fear that the crisis in Europe will deepen and also that it will overshadow many crises elsewhere in the world," he said.

Significant drop in asylum applications in the EU

About 18 million people, or 40 percent of Ukraine's population, depend on aid, the UN says.

Another 7.8 million have left the country and headed for other parts of Europe.

A spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in an email to Reuters that the data "does not yet show a significant increase in border crossings" in recent weeks.

However, some neighboring countries such as Romania and Poland reported small increases, she added.

Asked about contingency planning this winter, UNHCR said the agency is preparing for a number of possible scenarios, including increased internal displacement and an increase in the number of refugees.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said yesterday that Poland and Germany should ask the European Union for more help to deal with the expected increase in the number of Ukrainian refugees.

Ukrainian refugees in Poland will bear part of the cost of government housing and food

Egeland said some Ukrainian refugees who returned to their country this summer are now "giving up" and heading in the opposite direction.

NSB works in 35 countries, providing emergency and long-term aid, including in Ukraine and neighboring countries Romania, Moldova and Poland, BTA adds.

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