Russia-Ukraine war: UNHCR says 10 million Ukrainians fled home due to Russian invasion

As the Russian aggression against Ukraine has escalated over the weeks, nearly ten million Ukrainian citizens have escaped abroad in search of safety or been internally displaced as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed. According to NHK World, Commissioner of UN Refugee Agency Filippo Grandi claimed that intensifying fighting between Russia and Ukraine has pushed millions of Ukrainians to evacuate their homes. Taking to Twitter, he said, “Among the responsibilities of those who wage war, everywhere in the world, is the suffering inflicted on civilians who are forced to flee their homes.” 

Further, indicating the massive influx of Ukrainian refugees in the neighbouring countries, officials in certain European nations have warned that they have been approaching their ability to comfortably absorb migrants, Sky News reported.  

According to the UNHCR, the total number of Ukrainians who have gone abroad has surpassed 3.38 million as of Saturday. About two-thirds of the migrants, or 2.05 million, have fled to Poland, while approximately 180,000 have sought asylum in Russia, NHK World reported.  Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) projected that 6.48 million people were internally displaced in Ukraine as of Wednesday. 

The population of Poland's capital has risen by 17% due to influx of Ukrainians 

In Poland, to enter the country, there have been long lines outside the national stadium, which has been turned into a registration center for newcomers. Authorities in Warsaw, Poland's capital, stated the city's population of 1.8 million had risen by 17% as a result of the influx of migrants. "We never know how many refugees will arrive," a Warsaw city council spokesperson stated, Sky News reported.  

In addition to this, a government minister in the Czech Republic stated that the nation has been "balancing on the edge" of capacity where they can give comfortable living circumstances. To cope with the flood of refugees, Czech interior minister Vit Rakusan noted that the government will seek to prolong a state of emergency. 

Germany's federal police have recorded over 2,00,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country, according to a statement from the country's interior ministry. As of Saturday, 207,747 Ukrainian refugees had entered Germany. On the other hand, the real number of Ukrainian refugees in Germany is projected to be substantially higher.  

Meanwhile, Ukrainians escaping the violence have been granted visa-free travel by the European Union. According to the UK's Home Office, 8,600 visas have been given under the country's family reunification policy, out of a total of 53,600 applications.  

(Image: AP)