UNHCR report: 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees have crossed borders since Russian invasion

Figures published by the United Nation’s Refugee Agency on Saturday show more than 1.3 million Ukrainians have crossed borders since the Russian invasion began. 

According to data from UNHCR, the speed of the exodus is already bigger than the migration crisis of 2015, when 1.3 million asylum seekers from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa, fleeing poverty and wars, entered Europe.

United Nation’s Refugee Agency (UNHCR) head Filipo Grandi labelled the exodus as the fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of the second world war. 

Figures show that to date 1.37 million people have fled Ukraine following Putin’s military offensive. 

United Nation’s Refugee Agency data showing where Ukrainian refugees are heading as they attempt to flee the war

Most Ukrainians (53%) are heading west into Poland, which has so far welcomed about 756,303 people, followed by Hungary, with 157,004.

An estimated 4 million people may flee Ukraine to escape the escalating violence as the situation continues to unfold. 

Grandi said most refugees are not stating at the borders, but are moving to friends and family connection already living in Europe. 

Medyka in south-eastern Poland remains the main border crossing for refugees, as thousands are crossing by bus, car and foot. Refugees are most women, children and elderly persons, as Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are currently forbidden from leaving the country. 

Queues of waiting cars stretch 14 km, with people waiting up to 40 hours to cross. 

Ukrainian nationals will be given the right to live and work in the European Union for up to three years without having to claim asylum after emergency measures were approved by European states.