PARIS: Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia invaded Thursday.
The United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, says it is planning to deal with up to four million if the situation worsens.
- Poland -
Some 196,000 Ukrainians have already fled over the Polish border, its frontier guards said Sunday. On Friday alone, 50,000 Ukrainians arrived.
While 90 percent of the refugees are being put up by friends or relations, nine reception centres are also being set up close to the frontier.
Poland was already home to 1.5 million Ukrainians before Russia invaded.
Across the country people are mobilising to offer accommodation, money, clothes and work to the new arrivals.
- Romania -
Of the 47,000 Ukrainians who have crossed into Romania since Thursday, 22,000 have already gone on to other countries, the government says.
Most are passing through Siret in the north of the country, where a camp has been set up with a second near Marmatiei. Romanians have also taken to social media to donate food and clothing to the refugees.
- Hungary -
Some 71,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into Hungary since the invasion, says the country's interior ministry.
Several border towns such as Zahony have set up public buildings as reception centres, with ordinary people donating food and clothes.
- Moldova -
At least 70,000 Ukrainians have also crossed into Moldova, with the UNHRC’s central Europe chief Roland Schilling hailing the small nation for its response to a “heartbreaking situation”.
He said local people as well as the Moldovan government “have been really impressive” in the way they are dealing with flow.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita visited the border crossing of Palanca Saturday where a tent village and medical facilities have been set up.
“In these dark days for Ukraine, we stand by its citizens,“ she tweeted. “Moldova will assist those in need of safe transit or shelter. We are with you Ukraine!”
- Slovakia -
More than 12,400 Ukrainians have crossed into Slovakia in the last 24 hours, the Slovak ministry of interior told AFP, with 6,514 between midnight and 6 am alone.
Although there are no official numbers for previous days yet, 10,000 are reported to have crossed Friday, many met by the country's large Ukrainian diaspora.
- Internally displaced -
Some 160,000 people are thought to be internally displaced within Ukraine.
“Displacement in Ukraine is growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid,“ United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi tweeted Saturday.-AFP