More than 4.9 million Ukrainians have fled their country following the Russian invasion, the UN said Monday as it warned of the risks of women and child refugees being exploited.
UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, said 4,934,415 Ukrainians had left the country since Russia invaded on February 24 — a figure up 65,396 on Sunday’s total. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) says nearly 215,000 third-country nationals — largely students and migrant workers — have also escaped to neighbouring countries, meaning more than five million people in all have fled Ukraine since the war began.
It is one of the fastest-growing displacement and humanitarian crises ever. Women and children account for 90 percent of those who escaped, with men aged 18 to 60 eligible for military call-up and unable to leave.
Nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian children have been forced from their homes, including those still inside the country. “Refugees from Ukraine, the vast majority women and children, face increased risks of sexual exploitation, abuse and human trafficking,” UNHCR said.
“We’re on the ground at the border points and beyond, taking preventive measures.” More than 2.75 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland. Nearly 740,000 reached Romania.
UNHCR figures show nearly 645,000 Ukrainians fled in February, with nearly 3.4 million doing so in March and nearly 900,000 leaving so far this month. Beyond the refugees, the IOM estimates 7.1 million people have left their homes but are still in Ukraine.
“In this season of renewal, our thoughts are with all those who have been forced to flee their homes and have had to rebuild the life they left behind,” the UNHCR said. Before the invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist-controlled regions in the east.—APP
