More than 500,000 people have come from Ukraine to take refuge in several neighboring countries since the outbreak of a major Russian military offensive on Thursday, tweeted on Monday February 28 the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
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A count sent a little earlier by the services of Filippo Grandi reported 499,412 registered refugees, including 281,000 for Poland alone. Since the beginning of the violent combats which oppose the Russian troops to the Ukrainian army, the civilians try by all the means to reach the bordering countries to find shelter. In crowded trains, in cars and sometimes on foot with scant luggage, women and children mainly – men of fighting age are not allowed to leave Ukraine – are taken care of once they cross the border.
Hungary has taken in 84,586 refugees according to the latest count, Moldova more than 36,000 and Romania and Slovakia around 30,000 each. Some 34,600 people were able to go directly to other European countries. Ukrainian citizens are exempt from visas in the European Union and in Switzerland in particular.