Russia's military offensive against Ukraine forced 2,698,300 people to leave the country in 17 incomplete days of the war in search of safety, protection and assistance, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports as of 13:00 Kyiv time on March 12.

The office clarifies that the Ukrainian-Polish border accounted for 61.3% of all refugees.

The Polish border service reported on Twitter on Sunday the number of refugees from Ukraine to Poland since February 24, when Russia started the war, has reached 1.675 million. According to the service, on March 12, some 79,800 people crossed the Polish border from Ukraine - 5% more than the day before, but less than March 10, when there were 87,000.

As of 07:00 a.m. on March 13, another 16,800 refugees from Ukraine arrived, the border service added. According to it, on March 12, the largest flow to Poland was recorded at the Medyka checkpoint – 21,500, Dorohusk – 12,000 and Hrebenne – 11,100.

According to the UNHCR, Hungary accepted 246,210, Slovakia – 195,980, Moldova – 104,930 (data as of March 10), Romania (data as of March 8) – 84,670, others European countries (data as of March 11) – 304,160.

According to the department, 106,000 people arrived in Russia from Ukraine, 940 arrived in Belarus.

UNHCR indicates that the downward trend in the flow of refugees has stopped: after a peak of 208,940 on March 6 and a decrease by March 11 to 151,420, on March 12 their number increased again - to 155,840.

"As the situation continues to evolve, about 4 million people may leave Ukraine," the UNHCR said.

According to its data, there are currently at least 1.85 million internally displaced persons (IDP) in Ukraine and another 12.65 million people directly affected by the war.