More than 1.5 million refugees have now crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries since the Russian invasion began, the head of the UN Refugee Agency has said.
Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, tweeted on Sunday that it is “the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II”.
A precise update on the refugee figures was not given.
Mr Grandi is currently visiting countries that border Ukraine.
Today at Palanca I saw thousands and thousands of people streaming across Ukraine’s border crossing with Moldova.
Thousands of stories of separation, anguish, and loss.
A difficult day, but much respect for the many dedicated Moldovan officials and people helping the refugees. pic.twitter.com/84dPcFcCPGAdvertisement— Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) March 4, 2022
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited a welcome centre set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping centre in Korczowa, where roughly 3,000 refugees are taking shelter.
Mr Blinken heard harrowing tales from mothers and their children who described long and perilous journeys – and the shock of the sudden disruption and the fear for their lives – after fleeing the devastation of the war.
“Near our home we heard bombs,” said Venera Ahmadi, 12, who said she came with her brother and sister, six dogs and seven cats from Kyiv – 372 miles away.
“We walked to the border, I don’t know how many hours. We crossed the border on foot.”
Her 16-year-old sister Jasmine said: “I was scared I would die.”
Natalia Kadygrob, 48, reached the centre with her four adopted children from Kropyvnytskyi, almost 500 miles by bus. Her husband stayed behind.
“There they bombed planes at the airport,” she said. “Of course we were afraid.”
Tatyana, 58, who would not give her last name, came with her daughter Anna, 37, and Anna’s daughters Katya and Kira, who are aged six and one. They are from Kharkiv, about 600 miles from the shelter.
“They were shooting on the street,” Tatyana said. Anna said her home had been destroyed by a shell or a rocket.
She was in the basement with her daughters when the explosion happened. “They should be in school,” Anna said. “They are children, they don’t understand.”
Mr Blinken watched as Polish authorities escorted small groups of refugees – about 20 at a time – across the frontier from the Ukrainian town of Krakovets.
Groups mainly of women, children and elderly men – rolling their possessions in luggage and carrying infants and the occasional family pet – made their way into makeshift processing centres set up in tents on Polish territory.
Meanwhile, Mr Blinken on Sunday pledged America’s support to the small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic of Moldova that is also coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine.
He met with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees, as well as security reassurances against potential Russian aggression.
Mr Blinken said Moldova’s welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.
“We admire the generosity of hospitality, the willingness to be such good friends to people who are in distress, and, indeed, I want to do everything we can to help you deal with the burden that this has imposed,” he said.
Russia has troops in Moldova, a country of 2.6 million, stationed in the disputed territory of Transnistria, and they are being closely watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses on with the invasion of Ukraine.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said there has not yet been any indication that the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers based in Transnistria have changed posture, but she stressed it is a concern given what is happening in Ukraine.
