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Displaced Ukrainians entering France “increasing rapidly”

They have only what they can carry

The number of refugees arriving in France as they flee the Russian invasion of Ukraine is ‘increasing rapidly' the government has said – but it does not in any way reflect the true reality of the refugee crisis experienced by millions of Ukrainians.

France hits out at UKs overly restrictive approach to Ukrainian refugees: A Ukrainian woman carries a child in a blanket after crossing the border in Siret, Romania. About 660,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries in the past six days
France hits out at UKs overly restrictive approach to Ukrainian refugees: A Ukrainian woman carries a child in a blanket after crossing the border in Siret, Romania. About 660,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries in the past six days

Up to a hundred thousand people are expected to be welcomed in France

Thousands of refugees from Ukraine have arrived in France already and the country is preparing to welcome as many as 100,000 people.

The number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in France “is increasing rapidly”, according to Prime Minister Jean Castex. France, along with other EU member states, does not require Ukrainians to have a visa for entry and has brought in a scheme to allow them to stay visa- for at least a year (good ).

26,000 Ukrainians have entered France and 10,500 have received a temporary residence permit, announces Jean Castex
26,000 Ukrainians have entered France and 10,500 have received a temporary residence permit, announces Jean Castex

France is racing to catch up to the numbers of refugees

Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin also said that 7,500 Ukrainians had already arrived in France since the beginning of the war – and the country is ready to receive many more. “We have gone from 10,000 to 25,000 accommodation places in three days,” he continued.

The numbers heading as far west as France are just a small percentage of the total of more than two million refugees who have fled Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. (Editor's note: These statistics are out of date immediately upon printing – correct statistics here. – bjc)

Vitali Klitschko, who is the current Mayor of Kyiv, has pledged to stay in Ukraine (Image: Getty Images)
Vitali Klitschko, who is the current Mayor of Kyiv, has pledged to stay in Ukraine (Image: Getty Images)

The current number of displaced persons from Ukraine exceeds 3.5 million (for current data click here)

Poland has already received 1.2 million people, Hungary 190,000, Moldova 83,000, Romania 82,000 and Slovakia 140,000. According to the mayor of Kiev, former boxer Vitali Klitschko, half of the city's 3.5 million inhabitants have fled the capital.

France is also hosting Ukrainians who want to join family in the UK, but have been refused at the border by British officials, since the UK still requires visas from Ukrainians who wish to enter the country (disgraceful).

Julia Rigg and her husband Bill have found a family from Ukraine to host in their Derbyshire home in the UK (Photo: Supplied)
Julia Rigg and her husband Bill have found a family from Ukraine to host in their Derbyshire home in the UK (Photo: Supplied)

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