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Ukraine refugees: What's being done to help?

Media caption,

What's being done to help Ukrainian refugees?

Over 368,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion, the United Nations have said.

Following Russia's invasion of the country on Thursday, thousands of people have left their homes to escape the fighting.

Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine, have said that they've already had at least 115,000 Ukrainian refugees enter their country.

A United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) spokesperson said that if the war continues, up to four million people could end up moving across borders into other countries.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

This mother and daughter are heading towards the Hungarian-Ukrainian border to escape the fighting

People are leaving Ukraine by car, by train and on foot, with long queues at the borders to other countries.

Train stations have seen huge numbers of people trying to board trains to escape.

With planes grounded because of the fighting, there are no flights out of Ukraine.

Women and children are being prioritised at the borders, with men between the ages of 18 and 60 having been asked by the Ukrainian government to stay behind and fight.

What is the United Nations?
  • The United Nations, or UN, is an organisation made up of almost every country around the world

  • They have a few aims, including providing a space for these countries and their governments to get to know one another, and promoting peace and security around the world

  • It's also a place where member countries can meet to discuss problems they have, come up with solutions, and work on fixing them together

What are Ukraine's closest neighbours doing?

Apart from Russia on the east, Ukraine also share borders with Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Belarus.

Many of these countries have already seen large numbers of refugees arriving.

Moldova's president, Maia Sandu, said she was prepared to help tens of thousands of Ukrainians.

Hungary and Slovakia also say they are ready to welcome refugees and are sending extra troops to manage people arriving at crossings set up on their borders with Ukraine.

Poland's health minister said they were setting up reception points on the border and hospitals are preparing beds for wounded Ukrainians.

The Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, added that all Ukrainians are welcome, even if they don't have the correct identification, and that they can bring their pets with them too.

What about the UK?

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Boris Johnson said the UK had a "proud history" of helping refugees from war-torn countries

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the humanitarian impact of the conflict "threatens to be enormous".

He added on Saturday: "We've got to do everything we can to change the heavy odds that Ukraine faces and to help them."

This help he said included humanitarian aid (such as water and food), as well as military and financial support.

Media caption,

Ricky and De-Graft take a look at what's happening in Ukraine.

Speaking on Saturday night, Boris Johnson said the UK will "of course" be taking refugees and called suggestions he'd seen online that this wasn't the case "fake news".

The PM said that 1,000 troops were being sent to the region to help refugees, and that the government would "help people fleeing for their lives".

Charities, including Save The Children and Amnesty International, have urged the UK government to welcome refugees from the conflict in Ukraine.

In a letter to The Times newspaper, they said: "The government should now respond with a well-resourced initiative working with councils across the country, to welcome Ukrainians who need sanctuary."

The Home Office has said its priority are British nationals and their families, but that it would work with international partners on issues including migration as the situation develops.

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