Russia Ukraine crisis: Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees flee war

Nearly4.2millionUkrainians have fled their country since Russia's invasion began on February 24, with almost 40,000 pouring into neighbouring countries in the past 24 hours, UN numbers show.

The United Nationsrefugeeagency, UNHCR, said Sunday that 4,176,401 Ukrainians had fled in just over five weeks, up 38,559 from the figure given a day earlier.

Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have left Ukraine, with men aged 18 to 60 eligible for military call-up and unable to leave.

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The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that in addition toUkrainianrefugees,nearly205,500 non-Ukrainians living, studying or working in the country have also left.

Nearly6.48millionpeople were meanwhile estimated to be internally displaced within Ukraine as of mid-March, according IOM.

That puts the total number of people displaced by the conflict at well over 10million, or around a quarter of Ukraine's total population.

Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37millionin the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east.

Children have been disproportionately affected.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said in late March that more than half of the country's estimated 7.5millionchildren had been displaced -- 2.5millioninternally and twomillionabroad.

Watch |UN: Over 4.1 million Ukrainians have fled country and 6.83 million displaced since Russia invaded

Here is a breakdown of how manyUkrainianrefugeeshave fled to neighbouring countries, according to UNHCR:

Poland

Nearlysix out of 10Ukrainianrefugees-- 2,429,265 so far -- have crossed into Poland, according to the UN tally.

Polish border guards put the number even higher, saying Sunday that 2,461,000 people had entered from Ukraine since February 24.

The small border city of Przemysl alone has seen some 800,000refugeesarrive, according to its mayor, with up to 55,000 people arriving each day at the peak --nearlyequivalent to the city's total population.

Many people who go to Ukraine's immediate western neighbours travel on to other states in Europe's Schengen open-borders zone.

Romania

A total of 635,816 Ukrainians have entered the EU member state, including a large number who crossed over from Moldova, wedged between Romania and Ukraine.

The vast majority are thought to have gone on to other countries.

Moldova

The Moldovan border is the closest to the major port city of Odessa, which was hit by air strikes Sunday morning.Some 392,933 Ukrainians have crossed into the non-EU state, one of the poorest in Europe.

Most of those who have entered the former Soviet republic of 2.6millionpeople, sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, have moved on.

But around 93,000 have stayed, with the UN Development Programme saying that some 80 percent are being housed by private individuals.

Hungary

A total of 385,783 Ukrainians have entered Hungary.

Russia

Some 350,632refugeeshad sought shelter in Russia as of last Tuesday.

In addition, 113,000 people crossed into Russia from the separatist-held pro-Russian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine between February 21 and 23.

Slovakia

A total of 298,183 people have crossed Ukraine's shortest border into Slovakia.

Belarus

Another 12,746refugeeshad made it north to Russia's close ally Belarus as of last Thursday.