More than 2.5 million people have left Ukraine since Russia began its invasion, according to data collected by the United Nations.
The UNHCR, the organization’s refugee agency, reports that more than 1 million Ukrainians left for neighboring European countries during the first week of the conflict, Feb. 24 and March 3.
Poland has received the majority of refugees with a reported total of 1,524,903.
“Poland has championed the cause of Ukrainian refugees,” reports The Economic Times. “The government has set up reception centres and charities have mobilised in a massive aid effort, helped by the estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians already living in the EU member state.”
Hungary has the second-largest total of displaced Ukrainians, with 225,497 as of March 11.
Slovakia and the Republic of Moldovia have both received more than 100,000 refugees.
More than 84,600 have gone to Romania. Two camps have been established to accommodate the Ukrainian refugees in Sighetu Marmatiei and Siret.
Ukrainian refugees have also gone to the Russian Federation (105,897) and Belarus (858).
On March 7, a total of 206,915 Ukrainians left, the highest one-day total since the first day of the conflict.
A total of 282,497 Ukrainians are in other European countries. At least 99,200 Ukrainian nationals have arrived in Germany since Feb. 24, according to comments from a German Interior Ministry reported by Reuters.
According to DPA, “Ukrainians with biometric passports are allowed to move freely in the EU for 90 days without a visa. EU states have also agreed to take in the refugees quickly and without complications.”
The UNHCR notes that its adjusted “statistics reflect further movements of refugees, to avoid double counting.”
“The escalation of conflict in Ukraine has caused destruction of civilian infrastructure and civilian casualties and has forced people to flee their homes seeking safety, protection and assistance,” the refugee agency said in its report.
The UN estimates that a total of 4 million Ukrainians may leave the country as the conflict continues and Russian forces approach Kyiv.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, tweeted that the agency also estimated that 2 million people are displaced in Ukraine.
The number of refugees from Ukraine — tragically — has reached today 2.5 million.
We also estimate that about two million people are displaced inside Ukraine.
Millions forced to leave their homes by this senseless war.
— Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) March 11, 2022
Ukraine has a population of just over 43.2 million people. The U.N.’s refugees total is equivalent to approximately 5.7% of the total population of Ukraine.
The nation’s population has declined steadily since 1991 when the country had 51.5 million people.
