Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, some 1.37 million people have fled the country, according to the latest figures released by the United Nations on Saturday.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicated on its website that the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine had reached 1,368,864 at 12:15 GMT, about 160,000 more refugees than the previous census published Friday.
The authorities and the United Nations expect the flow of refugees to increase at a time when the Russian army continues to advance in Ukraine, and with the fighting continuing around the capital, Kyiv.
"1.3 million people have fled Ukraine in search of safety. Unless the conflict ends immediately, millions more may be forced to flee," UNHCR said in a tweet on Saturday.
The United Nations expects four million people to leave the country to escape the war.
Before the conflict, more than 37 million people lived in Ukrainian territory under the control of Kyiv, that is, outside the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and outside the areas under the control of separatists.
Poland-
Poland, which has espoused Ukraine's cause, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived Saturday for talks with senior Polish officials, is hosting the largest number of Ukrainian refugees since the start of the Russian invasion.
And their number reached 756,303 in Poland on Saturday, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which is 106,400 more than the number was Friday and 55.3 percent of the total that was counted.
According to the Polish border guards, a total of 787,300 people fled from Ukraine to Poland, according to figures published Saturday.
Before the crisis, Poland was receiving about 1.5 million Ukrainians, most of whom came to work in the European Union member country.
Hungary-
Hungary received 157,004 people, or 11.5% of the total, and about 12,300 more people than the previous day, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Hungary includes five border posts with Ukraine, and several border cities, such as Zahoni, have converted public buildings into relief centers where Hungarian civilians come to provide food or assistance.
Moldova-
The UNHCR did not update Saturday the number of refugees in Moldova, which reached 103,254 on Friday, or 7.5% of the total number.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, was Friday in Moldova in Palanca (east), where refugees arrived.
"I saw thousands upon thousands of people today in Palanka crossing the border post between Ukraine and Moldova. Thousands of stories of parting, anxiety and loss. A difficult day, but great respect to the many dedicated Moldavian officials and people who are helping refugees," Grandi wrote in a tweet on Friday evening.
Some of the refugees continue on to Romania or Hungary, according to the UNHCR, often to reunite with their families.
Slovakia-
About 101,529 people fled Ukraine and sought refuge in Slovakia, or 7.4 percent of the total number, according to the UNHCR.
Romania-
According to the UNHCR, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Romania reached 63,192, or about 4.6 percent of the total number.
Two camps for Ukrainian refugees have been set up, one in Seghetto Marmatiye and the other in Seret.
other places-
The Commission indicated that 133,876 people (9.8% of the total) continued their journey to other European countries.
About 53,300 Ukrainians sought refuge in Russia, or 3.9 percent of the total.
“Visa” and “MasterCard” announce the suspension of their services in Russia
Washington: The US-based financial services firm Visa and MasterCard announced the suspension of their services in Russia due to its military intervention in Ukraine.
And Visa said in a statement, Saturday evening, that the company will work with its partners to stop its services in Russia in the coming days.
She explained that with the implementation of the decision, visa cards granted in Russia will not be valid outside it.
Also, Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside the country will not work inside Russia.
In a similar statement, MasterCard confirmed that cards granted by Russian banks would no longer be backed by the company's network.
Also, any MasterCard issued outside Russia will not work at ATMs or Russian companies.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, which was followed by angry international reactions and the imposition of "tough " economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.(Anatolia)
"Accused of espionage" Russia sends a plane to transport its diplomats from Washington
The Russian authorities announced that a plane was on its way to the United States, to transport diplomats expelled from the Russian mission to the United Nations and accused by Washington of "espionage."
Russian authorities said a plane was on its way to the United States on Saturday, carrying diplomats expelled from Russia's mission to the United Nations and accused by Washington of "espionage."
The United States has closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
But an IL-96 Ilyushin is expected to land at noon at Washington International Airport, according to FlightAware, which tracks all air traffic.
"The US government has given the green light to this plane chartered by the Russian government to facilitate the departure of diplomats from the Russian mission" to the United Nations, a spokeswoman for the US State Department told AFP.
She indicated that this "exception" aims to ensure that they and their families leave "on the specified date."
On Monday, the United States announced the expulsion of "12 intelligence agents in the Russian mission who took advantage of" their diplomatic status in the United States in order to engage in "espionage activities", provided that they leave the country before the seventh of March.
The Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Anatoly Antonov, condemned the "hostile approach" against his country.
The Russian mission to the United Nations includes about 100 people, according to a Russian diplomatic source.
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