7.1 million internally displaced in Ukraine: UN

7.1 million internally displaced in Ukraine: UN

Geneva: More than 7.1 million are estimated to have been internally displaced by Russia’s war in Ukraine, having fled their homes but remained in the country, the United Nations said Tuesday. The figure issued by the UN’s International Organization for Migration is up from the 6.48 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) estimated in a first study by the IOM on March 16. “People continue to flee their homes because of war, and the humanitarian needs on the ground continue to soar,” said IOM director general Antonio Vitorino. “Humanitarian corridors are urgently needed to allow the safe evacuation of civilians and ensure the safe transportation and delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid in order to rapidly assist those internally displaced.” Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, causing millions to flee their homes - including more than 4.2 million Ukrainians who have left the country entirely. The IOM conducted its second survey between March 24 and April 1, and estimated that 7,138,715 people were internally displaced within Ukraine as of Friday. Fifty-nine percent of IDPs were estimated to be women. It was estimated that nearly 2.4 million people had fled the Kyiv region; 2.4 million had fled the east; and 1.7 million had