EU Takes in Over 650,000 Ukrainians Affected by War

Image Source: UNHCR

BEIJING, March 2 (TMTPOST) — The European Union (EU) has taken in over 650,000 Ukrainians fleeing from their home country after Russia conducted special military operation in Ukraine, according to statistics from the EU.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) said that Europe might face the biggest refugee crisis in this century given the current status quo. About 660,000 refugees have fled from Ukraine to neighboring countries in Europe in the past six days, the commission said in a statement.

“At this rate, the situation looks set to become Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century and UNHCR is mobilizing resources to respond as quickly and as effectively as possible,” said UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo.

“We know that children have been killed, we know that thousands and thousands are at risk, and we know that more children, gut-wrenchingly, are going to die or be injured in this unless fighting ends,” said UN Children’s Fund spokesperson James Elder.

The European Commission has proposed to EU member states to activate the Temporary Protection Directive to offer quick and effective assistance to people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Temporary Protection Directive grants temporary residence rights to Ukrainians, which allow them to live, work, study and receive medical service in EU member states. The European Commission has also advised member states to set up special channels for Ukrainians at border control and simplify the custom procedures as humanitarian aid.

The United Nations estimates that 12 million people in Ukraine will need protection and aid and that over four million Ukrainian refugees might need assistance and protection from neighboring states in the coming months.

At present, Russian troops are trying to push through Ukraine from several directions. Russian forces are moving from neighboring state Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv though they do not seem to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, according to ABC News. However, some smaller advanced groups have been engaging in gunfights with Ukrainian forces in Kyiv since at least Friday.

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