According to a statement put out by the United Nations at the beginning of April 2022, over 12 million Ukrainians have been displaced due to Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine. Of these 12 million Ukranians, more than seven million of them have been internally displaced, while roughly 5.1 million have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries.
In an attempt to control Ukraine and overthrow its democratically-elected government, Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed military forces to invade many key Ukrainian cities, such as, Kyiv and Mariupol. Because of the invading Russian forces, some 44 million Ukrainian residents remain on edge.
As of April 20, 2022, Poland has accepted more Ukrainian refugees than any other country, welcoming over 2.8 million. Romania, the country that has accepted the second most, has welcomed over 750,000 Ukrainian refugees. Moldova, a small country south-west of Ukraine with a population of just 2.6 million has already accepted more than 400,000 Ukrainian refugees; Ukrainian refugees now make up more than 15% of Moldova’s population.
The Ukrainian crisis’s staggering figure of five million refugees fleeing to neighboring countries is a grim milestone. The crisis is Europe’s largest since World War II. According to the United Nations, half of Ukraine’s refugees are children.
In a bleak situation, refugees who have found asylum in Poland have received favorable treatment: each receives a PESEL Polish ID number, which gives them the opportunity to legally work in the country, as well as free healthcare. Those with children are given support in the form of monetary bonuses and free schooling.
Still, Ukrainian refugees face uncertainty. Many are forced to flee the country on foot with just a suitcase of clothing. Train stations field thousands hoping to flee to Poland every hour, with some people left waiting days on crowded platforms for a chance at survival. Ukraine has banned men aged 18-60—those deemed “of fighting age”—from leaving the country. While they are not currently required to join the military, there is fear of forced conscription if the conflict continues.
As Russia continues to wage attacks on heavily-populated cities, Ukrainian civilians remain at high risk. The five million Ukrainians who have sought refuge in neighboring countries have already exceeded the “worst case” projections of roughly four million.
