(Paris) Tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the invasion of their country by Vladimir Putin’s Russia have flocked to border countries since Thursday, according to the authorities of these host countries.
Posted at 7:52
Some 368,000 refugees have fled fighting in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of neighboring countries on Thursday and their numbers “continue to rise”, the United Nations said on Sunday.
This number “is based on data made available by the national authorities”, underlined the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a tweet.
Poland
More than 156,000 people from Ukraine have entered Poland since the Russian invasion of the former Soviet republic began on Thursday, Polish border guards announced on Sunday.
PHOTO KACPER PEMPEL, REUTERS
People wait for Ukrainian refugees in a parking lot to offer them transport and accommodation, on February 26 from Przemysl, Poland.
On Saturday alone, border guards said they had identified 77,300 people who had arrived in Poland from Ukraine.
Poland, which was already home to around 1.5 million Ukrainians before the Russian invasion and which has expressed its unwavering support for Ukraine, has so far seen a large proportion of those fleeing Ukraine entering its territory.
Throughout the country, people are organizing on social networks, collecting money, medicines, offering accommodation, meals, work or free transport for refugees.
Romania
According to the government spokesman, a total of 47,000 Ukrainians have entered Romania since Thursday. Among them, 22,000 have already left the country, while 25,000 have remained in Romania.
PHOTO DANIEL MIHAILESCU, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Refugees disembark from a ferry from Ukraine that took them to Romania on February 26 at the Isaccea-Orlivka border crossing.
The busiest border post is Siret (north), followed by Sighetul Marmatiei, also in the north.
Two camps have been set up, one in Sighetul, empty for the moment, and the other in Siret, whose forty occupants must be transferred to reception centers.
Hungary
According to Hungarian police, more than 71,000 refugees have arrived in the country since Thursday.
The country has five border posts with Ukraine and several border towns, such as Zahony, have converted public buildings into relief centers, where Hungarian civilians come to offer food or assistance.