Nearly 3.5 mln refugees flee Ukraine in 25 days of war – UN

KYIV. March 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Russia's war against Ukraine forced 3.49 million people to flee the country in 25 incomplete days of the war seeking safety, protection and assistance, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency reported as of 13:00 in Kyiv time on March 20.

The agency said that the Ukrainian-Polish border accounted for 59.7% of all refugees: 2.084 million.

Romania received 535,461 andMoldova 365,197, Hungary received 312,120, and Slovakia 250,036.

UNHCR in recent days has recorded an increase in the number of refugees from Ukraine to Russia and Belarus - up to 231,764 and 3,765, respectively. According to the agency, if over the past six days the total number of refugees from Ukraine increased by 18.2%, then to Russia – by 62.1%, and to Belarus – three times.

"As the situation continues to unfold, an estimated 4 million people may flee Ukraine," the UNHCR said.

Three days ago, UNHCR estimated that there were currently 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, and more than 12 million people have been affected in the most war-affected areas of Ukraine.

"Humanitarian needs are growing exponentially," UNHCR said on 18 March.

The agency said that by the middle of 2021 there were only 53,470 Ukrainian refugees in the world who applied for the appropriate status, of which 36,490 were in Europe.

As of the middle of 2020, the UNHCR estimated the Ukrainian diaspora in the world at 6.1 million, including 5 million in Europe.

The agency said that the right to move freely within the Schengen area means there are very few border controls within the European Union. The data of arrivals in Schengen countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) bordering Ukraine therefore only represents border crossings into that country, but we estimate that a large number of people have moved onwards to other countries.

In addition, UNHCR does not count individuals from bordering countries leaving Ukraine to return home.