The Russian invasion is driving more and more people out of Ukraine, most of whom are fleeing to Poland. With a view to Putin’s warfare, an expert expects up to ten million refugees.
According to the UN Organization for Migration (IOM), the number of people who have fled Ukraine is now 1.25 million.
The prerequisites for quick and uncomplicated protection of war refugees from Ukraine have now been formally met. After the political agreement reached by the EU interior ministers the day before, the EU states unanimously accepted the decision, as the Council of the EU states announced in Brussels. The new rules will come into effect immediately.
The EU interior ministers, expecting several million refugees because of the Russian war in Ukraine, agreed yesterday to put a directive into force for the first time in the event of a “mass influx” of displaced persons.
The protection is initially valid for one year, but can be extended by a total of two more years. A lengthy asylum procedure is therefore not necessary. In addition, those seeking protection have direct rights to social benefits, education, accommodation and a work permit, among other things.
Warsaw: “Take in everyone who needs it”
According to President Andrzej Duda, more than 700,000 refugees from the neighboring country have arrived in Poland since the start of the war in Ukraine. There are nationals from around 170 countries around the world, said Duda during a visit to the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Korczowa. “We accept everyone who needs it”.
Some of the refugees from third countries have already started their journey home from Poland. Among them, for example, was a large group of Indian students who had fled the war in Ukraine. The Indian government sent a coordinator who organized the trip home.
Duda said he does not rule out that Poland will soon ask other countries for help because of the growing number of refugees. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had already promised him on the phone that his country would take in refugees.
Alleged Russian spy arrested
The Polish secret service has arrested a suspected Russian spy near the border with Ukraine. The ABW secret service said it was a Spanish citizen of Russian origin who is said to have worked for the Russian military service GRU. The man was arrested on the night of February 28 in Przemysl near the Polish-Ukrainian border. He had previously been in the region for a few days.
10,000 more Ukraine refugees in Berlin
Berlin’s Senator for Social Affairs, Katja Kipping (left), assumes that at least 8,500 to 10,000 more Ukraine refugees will arrive in the capital on Friday. She said that in the afternoon at an online meeting of the Left Group in the Berlin House of Representatives. This would continue the upward trend of the past few days: on Thursday, at least 6,000 refugees arrived in the capital by train, according to Kipping. Others came by bus or car.
According to Kipping, many of the refugees continue to travel to other regions. Based on past experience, about a third of the arrivals who stay in Berlin would have to be accommodated by the Senate. The rest would find accommodation here privately.
Giffey: Need nationwide distribution of refugees
Saxony wants to support the state of Berlin in taking in war refugees from the Ukraine. Initially, the takeover of one hundred people was agreed, a spokesman for the state directorate informed on Friday on request. Berlin’s governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) had previously called for close cooperation between the federal and state governments with regard to the refugees. “Many arrive in Berlin, but we need a nationwide distribution of the refugees to be able to cope,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
More than 50,000 refugees in the Czech Republic
More than 50,000 refugees from the ex-Soviet republic have already arrived in the Czech Republic. Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said after a meeting of the central crisis team in Prague. It is almost exclusively mothers with children and the elderly, since men of military age are not allowed to leave Ukraine. The national emergency came into force in the Czech Republic today in order to be able to better coordinate refugee aid.
By noon, almost 145,000 people had arrived in Hungary from the neighboring country to the east. At the same time, the flight movement from Ukraine is showing a downward trend for the time being, as can be seen from the figures published by the Hungarian police.
So far around 2700 Ukrainian refugees in Greece
2704 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Greece. The Ministry for Citizen Protection counted 515 new arrivals within 24 hours, as the authority announced. “We work closely with the Embassy of Ukraine and support all Ukrainian citizens who come,” said Civil Protection Minister Takis Theodorakis on Thursday evening on the Open TV channel.
Many Ukrainians already live in Greece. Many of the previous refugees can therefore probably stay with relatives for the time being. There is also a reception camp on the border with Bulgaria – but hardly any people have arrived there so far.
The Netherlands are preparing to take in 50,000 refugees
According to media reports, the Netherlands wants to provide accommodation for a total of around 50,000 refugees from Ukraine. On Friday, the government called on all 25 security regions in the country to initially provide 1,000 sleeping places within two weeks, as reported by the TV broadcaster NOS. Another 25,000 are to follow.
Ten million refugees possible
In the opinion of migration researcher Gerald Knaus, Europe will have to adjust to ten million refugees in the future.
“Putin’s warfare in Chechnya has resulted in a quarter of Chechens being expelled. We have to adjust to that, »Knaus gave the editorial network Germany a comparative number. “A quarter of Ukrainians is equivalent to ten million people.” Given the current dynamics of the war, this is entirely possible.
According to Knaus, a look at the warfare of the Russians gives you an idea of refugee numbers. “In one week, as many people have reached the EU as in the entire Bosnian war,” says the migration researcher. “This speed shows that we are facing the fastest and largest refugee catastrophe in Europe since the Second World War.”
Source: Stern
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