The UN refugee agency has said that more than 368,000 people had fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on Thursday.
“The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise,” United Nations High Commission for Refugees or UNHCR said in a tweet, adding the new figure was based on “data made available by national authorities”.
A large number of those escaping to neighbouring countries have crossed over into Poland, where the authorities have counted some 156,000 crossing since Thursday.
Border guards counted around 77,300 arrivals from Ukraine yesterday alone.
People have have arrived in cars, in packed trains and even on foot.
Those who arrive with nowhere to go can count on the help of volunteers – both members of NGOs and private citizens.
Others have also headed to Moldavia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.
Pope Francis called for humanitarian corridors to help refugees out of Ukraine and said those who make war should not be deluded into thinking that God is on their side.
Speaking to people in St Peter’s Square, some holding large Ukrainian flags, Pope Francis also said his “heart is broken” by the war and condemned those who “trust in the diabolic and perverse logic of weapons”.
