Mapped: Ukrainian Refugee Destinations by the Numbers

It’s been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine and forced refugees to seek destinations for new (or temporary) homes.

This ongoing conflict has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises in Europe in recent times. Millions of people have fled their homes and sought temporary or permanent asylum in countries across Europe, and the world.

This map by Pranav Gavali uses UNHCR data as of March 11, 2023 to highlight the countries that became Ukrainian refugee destinations.

Top Refugee Destinations in Europe

Over eight million Ukraine residents have found shelter outside of the country since February 2022, primarily in Europe.

The largest share of refugees at 35% have actually gone directly to Russia. Despite various reports of forced transfers of Ukrainian refugees to Russia, the country claims to have helped evacuate civilians without force.

The next largest intakes were from Poland and Germany, thanks in part to their close proximity and strong regional economies. Both have welcomed more than 1 million Ukrainian refugees, with Poland accepting over 1.5 million alone.

Czechia, Italy, and Spain are the next highest recipients of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, taking in a collective total of 10%.

And some refugees have ended up outside of Europe as well, though the UNCHR’s tracker only includes European countries. The U.S. for example is the fifth largest Ukrainian refugee destination overall, taking in more than 200,000 refugees through December 2022.

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