people who have fled the violence and fighting in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk is believed to be higher and increasing daily. According to various estimates, around 64% are women; many are with children, including infants. The IDPs live dispersed across the entire territory, with significant concentrations in Kyiv and Lviv. 140. People have left Crimea for different reasons. The majority have economic, professional or family ties within Ukraine and do not wish to acquire Russian citizenship, which many feel compelled to do in order to continue a normal life in Crimea. Some Crimean Tatars fear limitations to their religious and cultural expression. Activists and journalists have been exposed to, or fear, harassment. 141. The main difficulties the IDPs from Crimea continue to face are: lack of temporary and permanent housing; access to social allocations, medical and educational services; access to bank accounts / deposits; possibility to continue entrepreneurship activity, and employment opportunities. 142. Despite efforts made, some of these issues, particularly housing, are very difficult to resolve without systemic changes and involvement of the Government. The HRMMU has been made aware of some instances when IDPs had to return to Crimea, since their basic needs could not be met in Ukraine. 143. Displacement from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions started in the days leading up to the “referendum” held in both regions on 11 May. People have been trying to leave the violence affected areas, particularly Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, after witnessing violence on the streets. Armed groups and increasing criminality have generated fear. 144. The HRMMU interviewed several IDPs from the eastern regions, who reported that apart from random violence, there were targeted attacks and intimidation of activists and increasingly of “ordinary” residents, known for their “Pro-Ukrainian” stance. Local NGOs confirmed that while seizing administrative buildings, armed groups obtained access to personal data of activists who participated in rallies. The latter and their families were reportedly being threatened and harassed. 145. One of the few interviewed activists reported being threatened and having to stay in a friend’s house for nine days without food, as her own apartment was under surveillance. Then other activists helped her escape and settle in another town. She has no information about her family and suffers from insomnia and anxiety attacks. 146. Political activists and journalists began to feel pressure from the armed groups who were consolidating their position in the region. After the “referendum” and with the intensification of violence, other residents of the region have started leaving their homes in areas affected by violence due to the illegal activities of armed groups and the security operations, particularly in the areas of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Many remain within 61 UNHCR estimated that, as of 16 June, there were 34,336 IDPs in Ukraine, with 15,200 located in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 62 According to the Russian Federation Federal Migration Service, as of 6 June 2014, 837 persons had applied and were granted refugee status; and 3,750 persons had applied and were granted Temporary Asylum. Approximately 15% were minors under the age of 18. These figures do not include people from Crimea. 95 | P a g e