In the past 24 hours alone, approximately 20,400 individuals have crossed into Poland from Ukraine, as reported by Polish border guards on Wednesday. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, over 18 million people have sought refuge in Poland, according to the Polish Border Guard agency. Conversely, around 16.3 million people have left Poland for Ukraine during the same period.
On Tuesday, the flow of individuals continued, with approximately 17,500 people crossing from Poland into Ukraine, the border guard agency noted. Poland, having estimated around 3 million Ukrainians residing in the country before the war, has been a significant destination for those fleeing the conflict.
President Andrzej Duda previously stated that Poland accommodates an estimated 3 million Ukrainians, including those who arrived before the conflict. In March of the previous year, Poland enacted measures to provide comprehensive support to Ukrainian refugees, granting them residence rights and ensuring access to education, healthcare, and social benefits.
As of March this year, the Polish presidential office reported that approximately 1.3 million Ukrainian war refugees were still in Poland, while others had either moved on to other countries or decided to return to Ukraine. Despite the challenges posed by the massive influx, a recent survey indicated that 62% of Poles are in favor of accepting refugees from war-torn Ukraine.
Wednesday marks day 672 of Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine, initiated on February 24, 2022, representing the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
