GENEVA, April 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 7.7 million people are estimated to have been internally displaced by Russia’s war in Ukraine, having fled their homes but stayed within the country, the United Nations said.
The figure issued by the UN’s International Organization for Migration is up from the 7.1 million estimate that it gave on April 5 of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“Women and children, the elderly, and people with disabilities have been disproportionately affected, as they all represent a highly vulnerable group of people,” said IOM director-general Antonio Vitorino.
“Our work in support of those forced to flee their homes and all vulnerable populations affected by the war continues but a humanitarian ceasefire is crucial to allow for aid delivery and access to hard-to-reach communities.”
The IOM conducted its latest survey between April 11 and 17.
Sixty percent of current IDPs are estimated to be women.
Nearly 3.47 million people are estimated to have fled the eastern region, where Russia is now concentrating its assault; 1.77 million have fled the north and 1.46 million have left the Kyiv region.
The survey found that 37 percent of IDPs – 2.85 million people – are now in the relatively safer west of the country.
But it also estimated that nearly 2.8 million people had returned home by Sunday April 18 after an absence of at least two weeks.
An estimated 31 percent have returned to homes in the north; 20 percent to Kyiv and 15 percent to the west. Smaller numbers have returned to other regions.
Meanwhile, three school buses filled with evacuees from the devastated Ukrainian city of Mariupol arrived in Zaporizhzhia on Thursday after crossing through territory held by Russian forces.
Women and children could be seen on the buses as they arrived after attempts to open a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol that has been delayed multiple times because of fierce fighting in southern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, who was present to receive the buses, said the number of evacuees was far smaller than had been hoped for as the humanitarian corridor had not functioned properly.
“Nothing has worked. Only 79 people could come. There were no green corridors,” she said, adding that many of the evacuees had been “robbed by the Russians”.
Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko detailed the difficulties of evacuations in a press conference later on Thursday, saying that meeting points for civilians wishing to leave were shelled and buses were slow to arrive.
He also accused the Russian army of arresting any civilians linked to Ukrainian authorities.
Strategic port Mariupol has been a key target for Russia in its attack on Ukraine and devastating bombardments have left swathes of the city in ruins.
Ukrainian forces are holed up along with civilians in a final stronghold in the vast Azovstal iron and steel works.
Vereshchuk said there were almost 1,000 people in the plant waiting for a humanitarian corridor and 500 injured soldiers.
Putin on Thursday ordered his defence minister to call off the planned storming of Azovstal and to impose a blockage around the plant.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry called for a humanitarian route from the factory to be opened immediately to allow civilians and injured soldiers to leave. — NNN-AGENCIES
