ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the experiences of pensioners and persons with disabilities in both occupied and government-controlled territories in Ukraine. Prior to 2022, pensioners comprised over half of all registered internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country. The chapter demonstrates how these individuals often felt trapped by both physical and symbolic borders, facing significant challenges in accessing pensions, benefits, and suitable accommodation. It also highlights the struggles of persons with disabilities – particularly during evacuation and in securing benefits and housing. The chapter argues that state policies towards forcibly displaced persons lacked recognition of the intersectionality of IDPs, and discusses the phenomenon of ‘forced return’, whereby individuals were compelled to return to occupied areas despite the high risk of renewed hostilities. The chapter calls for a comprehensive approach to studying the intersectional experiences of internal displacement alongside immobility.
