Mar 20, 2022 - World

UN: 10 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since invasion began

Rebecca Falconer

People arrive at Przemysl train station on a evening train from war-torn Ukraine on March 20, 2022 in Przemysl, Poland. — Ukrainian refugees arriving at a train station in Przemysl, Poland, on Sunday. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

10 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since the Russian military invasion of Ukraine began nearly four weeks ago, the United Nations refugees chief said on Sunday.

The big picture: The figure means roughly a quarter of Ukraine's population has either been displaced inside the country or fled abroad since President Vladimir Putin ordered his Russian forces to launch a full-scale assault on the country on Feb. 24.

What they're saying: "Among the responsibilities of those who wage war, everywhere in the world, is the suffering inflicted on civilians who are forced to flee their homes," tweeted U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Sunday.

"The war in Ukraine is so devastating that 10 million have fled — either displaced inside the country, or as refugees abroad."

By the numbers: Nearly 3.4 million Ukrainians have left the country since Feb. 24, with over 2 million going to Poland, according to the latest figures from the UN refugee agency.

More than 1.5 million children are among those who have fled Ukraine, per UNICEF, the UN children's agency.

Go deeper ... Dashboard: Russian invasion of Ukraine

Add Axios on Google

UN: 10 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since invasion began

What to read next