Rising Refugee Numbers as Conflict Unfolds - 28 February 2022 19:33 (GMT+2)
With the turn of the fifth day of war, the number of people that have fled Ukraine continues to rise with the latest figures estimated at over 500,000 individuals according to the United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR).
Whilst the majority are still fleeing to the immediate countries bordering Ukraine, some are already arriving to other European nations including the Balkan and the Baltic states as well as parts of Western Europe, albeit in smaller numbers than Ukraine’s neighbouring nations.
However, all of this is expected to only be the beginning of an unfolding crisis, as the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic estimates that up to 7 million Ukrainians could be displaced as a result of this conflict.
Not all has gone smoothly at the Ukrainian border. The Nigerian government has condemned the poor treatment of Africans currently residing in Ukraine who attempted to cross the border, but were unable to do so due to being turned down by border guards or stopped by the locals. There are currently an estimated 4,000 individuals from Nigeria alone in Ukraine, most of whom are students, this not accounting for nationals from other African nations. On the upside many of them have also been able to cross into Poland and Romania and now remain there in safety.
In an unprecedented turn of events, European nations previously known for their harsh and restrictive policies on refugees and immigrants, have now opened up their doors to Ukrainians seeking safety. These included Hungary and Austria.
On the other hand, the United Kingdom still remains largely closed for Ukrainian nationals as the state has not waived its visa requirements, although there is increasing pressure to change these rules and allow individuals fleeing war to seek safety in the UK.