The Eastern Europe Studies Centre (EESC) analysed the adaptation of beneficiaries of temporary protection who came to Lithuania after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine on 24 February 2022.  

The study is based on semi-structured interviews with more than 200 respondents displaced from Ukraine. Most of the respondents were women over 30 years of age with children. They often expressed interest in staying in Lithuania in the long term and were considering applying for citizenship. The questions included in the study targeted the areas of employment, healthcare, education system, social adaptation and integration. Some of the main trends include:

• almost 90% of those who stay in Lithuania are planning to learn the local language, and more than half of them are motivated by gratitude to the country they reside in;
• 65% of respondents have a stable income in Lithuania, yet many experience severe financial anxiety
• psychological trauma and mental health issues may hinder or slow down the integration process

Among the main struggles for temporary protection holders in Lithuania are:

• lack of accessibility to language courses (45.9%);
• difficult access to medical care (51.2%);
• lack of assistance in finding employment (29.7%), accommodation (14%) and financial aid (23.3%)
• lack of social life and connection to the Lithuanian society

The report notes that more than 85 000 Ukrainians, the majority of whom displaced after the start of the war, currently live in Lithuania. They thus represent the biggest community of foreign citizens in the country. Read the full report by the Eastern Europe Studies Centre (EESC) attached below.