Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees are currently fleeing Russia’s invasion of their country. They could be more numerous than the figures announced by the UN.
The United Nations said on Sunday that around 368,000 refugees had fled fighting in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Thursday. They have joined neighboring countries and their numbers “continue to increase”.
“They are surely much more numerous since it is the submerged part of the iceberg”, affirmed Sunday on Franceinfo Philippe Lévêque, director general of the NGO Care. “Within European, Romanian, Polish borders, the response is being organised,” he added.
“The needs will be great”
For the CEO of the NGO, the population to be welcomed is “older” and “fragile” than that “which we usually know in Africa or the Middle East”: “25% of people are over 60 years old ( …), they are mainly women and children,” he said.
“The needs will be great”, warned Philippe Lévêque who underlined the importance of “financial means”, by launching an appeal for donations.
According to a UN estimate, the conflict in Ukraine could lead to “more than 7 million” internally displaced people if the Russian offensive continues.
