Is it Safe to Travel to Ukraine? (No, Because of Russia)

Because of Russia’s genocidal war, it is not safe to travel to Ukraine right now.

It is with tears in my eyes that I’ve updated this article to write those words. You see, this article was one of the first ones I wrote on this travel blog, just a month after founding it back in 2017. I originally wrote this article to show people why Ukraine was a lovely and very safe place to visit. Ukraine was, and remains, one of my personal favorite travel destinations on the planet.

I still believe Ukraine will be a thriving and safe tourist destination again one day, after Ukraine’s brave defenders have vanquished the last Russian invader from Ukrainian soil. I look forward to the day I can update this article again, and tell you all about the many wonderful places to visit in Ukraine.

Until then, unfortunately, Russia’s continuing genocide in Ukraine means that the country is simply no longer safe for travel.

🌻 Want to Help Ukraine? Consider giving directly to Ukraine’s official initiative for foreign giving: United24. It’s the most efficient way to get your money directly in the hands of Ukrainians (you can even give directly to their defense fund).

Is it Safe to Travel to Ukraine?

It is not safe to travel to Ukraine, because of Russia’s invasion. Russia continues to commit violations of international law, including direct and deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and housing.

The millions of civilians who remain in Ukraine live under the specter of daily drone and missile attacks by Russia. Most countries have placed a travel warning on Ukraine, and travel for tourism to Ukraine is not advisable under any circumstances at the moment.

Brief Background on Russia’s Genocidal War in Ukraine

In late 2013, Kyiv was rocked by democratic protests against Ukraine’s then-president Victor Yanukovych, an ally of Russia who had rejected measures to integrate Ukraine with the European Union. The protests (and the government’s violent response to them) escalated and in February, 2014 led to a full-on revolution and Yanukovych’s fleeing of the country.

Russia refused to recognize the new government of Ukraine and invaded Ukraine, ultimately leading to the annexation of the southern region of Crimea. Russia also started a war in the far eastern portions of Ukraine, leading to international condemnation and sanctions against Russia.

Russia’s war gained further international attention in July, 2014 when the separatists shot down a Malaysia Airlines plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing the over 300 people on board.

Despite several ceasefire attempts, the war continues to this day, although it has settled into something a stalemate as of the summer of 2017.

On February 24, 2022, Russia majorly escalated its war against Ukraine by attempting to invade the country. The invasion, illegal under international law, led to widespread international condemnation of Russia. Russia committed — and continues to commit — a wide variety of brutal war crimes, including mass killings of civilians, torture, rape, and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Travel Warnings in Ukraine

If you are somehow still thinking about traveling to Ukraine, you should read the latest travel warnings from the US and UK governments.

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That’s it for this guide to safety in Ukraine, for now.

While it is definitely not safe to travel to Ukraine at the moment, it will be after Ukraine’s inevitable victory. As soon as it is safe to travel again, I personally will be heading back for my fourth visit to Ukraine. I hope you will consider joining me. Ukraine will need tourism to bring in dollars from abroad to help its rebuilding effort.

Glory to Ukraine! Слава Україні!