2.5 Million Now Seeking Refuge From Russia’s Invasion

As of March 11, 12 PM CET, over 2.5 million people living in Ukraine have left the country to seek shelter from Russian aggression, either permanently or temporarily.

As Statista’s Florian Zandt shows in the chart below, based on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), most of the people fleeing have crossed over at the Polish border.

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Roughly 1.5 million refugees have reached Ukraine’s western neighbor via foot, bus, car or train. According to government statements, more than 50,000 people looking for safety from the Russia-Ukraine conflict arrive in Poland every day. While Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova have carried the brunt of the refugee wave during the first week, roughly 283,000 people have also fled to European countries not directly bordering Ukraine so far. These movements will likely intensify over the next couple of days as fighting continues. UNHCR estimates released yesterday suggest that 12 million people in Ukraine and four million refugees from the country will need relief and protection over the coming months. To combat this humanitarian crisis, the UN and its humanitarian partners issued a flash appeal for $1.7 billion to allow the distribution of needed supplies.

Although the rallying efforts of the European community are generally seen as commendable, the treatment of non-white refugees has come under increased scrutiny since February 24. On March 1, for example, Nigeria’s government condemned the handling of Nigerian and other African refugees by Ukrainian border officials who allegedly prioritized the evacuation of white Ukrainians.