Russian Invasion, Half A Million People Escape From Ukraine

Ukrainians flee their country amid the Russian invasion. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) says more than half a million people have fled Ukraine since Russian troops invaded the country.

"More than 500,000 refugees have now fled from Ukraine to neighboring countries," said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, quoted by Al Jazeera, Tuesday, March 1.

The number of citizens fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to soar. As of today, at least 102 civilians died as a result of the invasion.

Ukraine's permanent representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said the total death toll since Russia deployed its troops to Ukraine stands at 352, including 16 children.

Long lines of cars and buses formed at checkpoints on Ukraine's borders with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova. The civilians continued to flee the Russian invasion.

Meanwhile, there are civilians crossing the border on foot, dragging their belongings away from the war and into the territory of the European Union security forces.

UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said the latest data on civilians who fled the Russian invasion, as many as 281,000 people entered Poland, more than 84,500 to Hungary, about 36,400 to Moldova, more than 32,500 to Romania and about 30,000 to Slovakia.

"The rest are scattered in other countries whose identity is unknown," said Shabia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said guards in the border region had been instructed to allow all foreign nationals to leave Ukraine.

Ghana's Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayurkor Botchwey, added that students from Ghana in Ukraine have so far not faced any problems when crossing the border.

Thirty-eight out of 220 Ghanaians have left Ukraine and entered Poland unhindered. More than 460 other Ghanaians are still on their way out of Ukraine to neighboring countries.

Polish officials denied reports by the German news agency DPA that their border officials were 'blocking' citizens out of Ukraine.

“Polish Border Guards are helping all those who have fled the war zone in Ukraine. Nationality or citizenship does not matter," the Polish official said in a statement.