According to current calculations, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) assumes that more than five million people fled Ukraine from the Russian war of aggression. “That’s five million individual stories of loss and trauma,” UNHCR Deputy Commissioner Kelly Clements told a UN Security Council meeting in New York yesterday.
In addition, some 7.1 million people have left their homes in Ukraine, added Antonio Vitorino of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
At the meeting, member states discussed the need for more support for refugees and an end to the war. It was the sixth meeting of the Council on the Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine since the war of aggression began nearly two months ago on 24 February. Ukrainian ambassador to the UN Serhiy Kislizia criticized the Security Council for continuing to treat Russia as a full member. “Colleagues, it seems to me that these meetings are not going to change much,” said Kislizia.