UNHCR says 3.7mn refugees from Ukraine receive temporary protection status in EU amid war

At least 3.7 million refugees from Ukraine have registered for temporary protection status in a European Union (EU) country, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In the data shared by the United Nations organisation, a total of six million Ukrainian refugees are recorded across Europe since the beginning of the Russian aggression on its Southern neighbour. 

The information also suggested that countries such as Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic are providing the refuge to the Ukrainian citizens. 

Temporary Protection Directive by EU countries

This never-before-used directive to grant temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing the ruthless military aggression waged by Russian forces was triggered by the EU in March this year, a month after Ukraine faced its worst humanitarian crisis.  
Temporary protection is an exceptional measure used to provide immediate and temporary protection to displaced people from non-EU countries who are unable to return to their country of origin in the event of mass influx. 

The temporary protection directive by the EU countries was adopted after the conflicts in former Yugoslavia. However, the directive was triggered for the first time by the council after the start of the unprecedented Russian invasion of Ukraine and the displacement of thousands of Ukrainians following the crisis. 

Attack on Odesa Port worsens possibility of engagement with Moscow

While thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the war-torn country, just a day after Moscow and Kyiv agreed on a deal that would allow the resumption of important grain exports from Ukriane, Russian missile strikes on Saturday hit the Ukrainian port of Odesa. According to Ukrainian member of parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko, at least six explosions were heard in Odesa. 

Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Moscow has shattered every possibility for further engagement. In his nightly address to the nation on Saturday, Zelenskyy said that the Kalibr missiles have destroyed the very possibility of any settlements and claimed that Ukrainian forces had shot down two cruise missiles before the Russian troops hit the port region. He also affirmed that the Russian attack came less than a day after the grain export deal was reached in Istanbul.