'At least' 370,000 refugees have left Ukraine, UNHCR says
'At least' 370,000 refugees have left Ukraine, UNHCR says
The UNHCR said that 370,000 refugees have already left Ukraine for a number of European countries, including Poland and Romania, while 160,000 are internally displaced.
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A Ukrainian refugee family arrives in Przemysl, Poland on 25 February following Russia's invasion of Ukraine [Getty]
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have fled the country since Russia invaded Thursday.
The United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, says at least 370,000 people have fled the fighting so far and it is planning to deal with up to four million if the situation worsens.
Some 156,000 Ukrainians have fled over the Polish border, its frontier guards say. On Friday alone, 50,000 Ukrainians arrived.
While 90 percent of the refugees are being put up by friends or relations, nine reception centres are being set up close to the frontier.
Poland was already home to 1.5 million Ukrainians before Russia invaded.
Across the country people are mobilising to offer accommodation, money, clothes and work to the new arrivals.
Of the 47,000 Ukrainians who have crossed into Romania since Thursday, 22,000 have already gone on to other countries, the government says.
Most are passing through Siret in the north of the country, where a camp has been set up with a second near Marmatiei. Romanians have also taken to social media to donate food and clothing to the refugees.
Some 71,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into Hungary since the invasion, says the country's interior ministry.
Several border towns such as Zahony have set up public buildings as reception centres, with ordinary people donating food and clothes.
At least 25,000 Ukrainians had also crossed into Moldova late Saturday, with the UN's refugee agency's central Europe chief Roland Schilling hailing the small nation for its response to a "heartbreaking situation".
He said local people as well as the Moldovan government "have been really impressive" in the way they are dealing with flow.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita visited the border crossing of Palanca Saturday where a tent village and medical facilities have been set up.
"In these dark days for Ukraine, we stand by its citizens," she tweeted. "Moldova will assist those in need of safe transit or shelter. We are with you Ukraine!"
Some 160,000 people are thought to be internally displaced within Ukraine.
"Displacement in Ukraine is growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid," tweeted United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi.
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