More Ukrainians left the country than returned in first half of 2026, border data shows

Ukraine recorded a net outflow of more than 220,000 people during the first half of 2026, according to figures attributed to the country's State Border Guard Service.

The data show approximately 7.130 million departures from Ukraine over the six-month period, against roughly 6.907 million entries into the country during the same window. The gap between the two totals amounts to a net loss of more than 220,000 people who left but had not returned by the end of the period covered.

Tracking overall movement, not a fixed population

The border service's figures track overall cross-border movement rather than a single, fixed emigrant population, meaning the same individuals may cross the border multiple times for short trips, work or family reasons. Even so, the gap between departures and arrivals points to a continued net population outflow from Ukraine during the first half of the year.

Ukraine has experienced large-scale population movement since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, with millions of Ukrainians, mostly women, children and older residents, having left for other European countries and beyond. Men within certain age ranges have generally faced restrictions on leaving the country under martial law provisions tied to the ongoing conflict.

The latest figures add to a broader picture of demographic strain facing Ukraine, as the war continues to affect both the size and composition of the population that remains within its borders. International agencies, including the United Nations, have separately tracked the scale of Ukrainian displacement abroad throughout the war, though methodologies and totals vary between sources.

No further breakdown of the figures, such as the age, sex or destination of those who left, was included in the reported data.