The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that at least 100,000 people have had to flee their homes in Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion. In the last 24 hours, thousands of Ukrainians have crossed the borders of neighboring countries such as Poland and Moldova.
Ukraine war leaves at least 100,000 displaced after Russian invasion
UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo has advanced that it is too early to track population movements or make an accurate estimate after the first day of Russian military intervention: “At the moment they occur sporadically and unpredictably.” They foresee that the humanitarian consequences for the civilian population will be devastating and recall that in war there are no winners, but countless lives that will be shattered.
The UN Agency has reinforced its operations in Ukraine and neighboring countries, and may increase its staff in the area if the conflict continues to escalate. They are working with the authorities, the UN and other partners to provide humanitarian assistance wherever necessary and possible.
To do so, security and access for humanitarian work must be guaranteed.
For his part, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, called on Ukraine’s neighboring countries to “keep their borders open to those seeking safety and protection”, after Ukrainian citizens have already sought refuge in Romania, Hungary or Slovakia.
According to the Ukrainian government, since the beginning of the Crimea and Donbas crisis in 2014, there have been 1.5 million internally displaced persons in the country.
