368,000 Ukrainians have fled country since start of Russian invasion, U.N. says

Ukrainian refugees arrive by special train at the Warsaw East train station in Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday. Photo by Pawel Supernak/EPA-EFE
Ukrainian refugees arrive by special train at the Warsaw East train station in Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday. Photo by Pawel Supernak/EPA-EFE

Feb. 27 (UPI) -- At least 368,000 Ukrainians have fled the country in the four days since Russia invaded, the United Nations announced Sunday.

That's more than double the figure the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, reported the day before. The UNHCR said it based its numbers on data provided by national authorities.

"As it is almost impossible or us to move around safely in many parts, we cannot confirm numbers," said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, head of global communications for the UNHCR said.

Grandi said most of the Ukrainians fleeing the country are going to country, with others traveling to Moldova, Romania and elsewhere.

"The governments and people of those countries are welcoming refugees. It is now urgent to share this responsibility in concrete ways," Grandi tweeted.

Poland, which has strong ties to Ukraine and a large Ukrainian population, announced Saturday that it would allow refugees who don't have identification into the country. It also shortened processing times, according to U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power.

The European Union said it's received at least 300,000 of the refugees as of Sunday and expects more.

"I think we need to prepare for millions," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told reporters in Brussels.

EU member state representatives met Sunday to discuss the Russian invasion.

Chris Melzer, a spokesman for the UNHCR, said there was a backlog of Ukrainians at the borders attempting to leave the country. He said there was a 9-mile line of people waiting at the Polish border.

Many of the countries now openly taking in the Ukrainians had previously hardened their borders against a migrant crisis over the last several years, which saw more than 1 million people flee Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Scenes from the Russian war on Ukraine

European Union leaders attend a summit at the Chateau de Versailles near Paris on March 11, 2022. Photo by the European Union/ UPI | License Photo

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