More than 874,000 people have fled Ukraine: UN

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - More than 874,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries since Russia launched a war on its neighbor last Thursday, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Wednesday.

According to data on the UNHCR website, Poland has welcomed 453,982 people from Ukraine.

Poland is followed by Hungary and Moldova which took 116,348 and 79,315 refugees respectively.

Meanwhile, Slovakia and Romania have opened doors for 67,000 and 44,540 people, respectively, while other European countries have welcomed almost 70,000 others.

Russia got almost 5% of the people fleeing Ukraine, corresponding to 42,900, and 341 others took refuge in Belarus.

“As the situation continues to unfold, an estimated 4 million people may flee Ukraine in the coming weeks and months. In light of the emergency and paramount humanitarian needs of refugees from Ukraine, an inter-agency regional refugee response is being carried out, in support of refugee-hosting countries’ efforts,” the UNHCR said.

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began on Feb. 24, it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and the US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Moscow.

At least 142 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 408 others, including 26 children, injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.