By Sulaimon Jamiu
As many as one million refugees have left Ukraine in seven days since the beginning of Russia’s military operation there, said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday.
Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, told the Associated Press news agency in an email that “our data indicates we passed the 1 million mark” as of midnight in central Europe, based on counts collected by national authorities.
On Twitter, UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi wrote, “In just seven days we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries.”
He added, “For many millions more, inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent, so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided.”
In just seven days we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighbouring countries.
For many millions more, inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent, so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided.
— Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) March 2, 2022
As the sound of artillery fire, exploding mortar shells, and gunfire echoed across the country, Grandi’s comments testified to the desperation of civilians in Ukraine, as well as the growing concern of a humanitarian disaster by UN agencies, such as the World Health Organization and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The daily figures point to the dizzying speed of the evacuation.
Notably, it has been eight days since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military operations in the Donbas region of Ukraine after he recognized the independence of Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk.
Meanwhile, in a voting at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, 141 nations condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while five nations supported Russia, with 35 countries abstaining to vote.
