Where Ukrainian Refugees Are Fleeing To

As of March 2, over 800,000 people living in Ukraine have left the country to seek shelter from Russian aggression, either permanently or temporarily.

As Statista’s Florian Zandt shows in the chart below, based on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), most of the people fleeing have crossed over at the Polish border.

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Roughly 453,000 refugees have reached Ukraine’s western neighbor via foot, bus, car or train. According to government statements, more than 50,000 people looking for safety from the Russia-Ukraine conflict arrive in Poland every day.

While around 52,000 people are fleeing towards other European countries, the aforementioned Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova carry the brunt of the refugee wave. These movements will likely intensify over the next couple of days as fighting continues. UNHCR estimates released yesterday suggest that 12 million people in Ukraine and four million refugees from the country will need relief and protection over the coming months. To combat this humanitarian crisis, the UN and its humanitarian partners issued a flash appeal for $1.7 billion to allow the distribution of needed supplies.

Although the rallying efforts of the European community are generally seen as commendable, the treatment of non-white refugees has come under increased scrutiny over the last couple of days. On March 1, for example, Nigeria’s government condemned the handling of Nigerian and other African refugees by Ukrainian border officials who allegedly prioritized the evacuation of white Ukrainians.