Refugee Crisis—Millions Flee Ukraine

Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, creating a severe humanitarian crisis as civilians fled the conflict.a

“There were bombs and explosions. It was so scary that it’s hard to describe in words. When we learned that there were evacuation trains, we decided to leave. You were supposed to put your whole life in one small backpack per person. We could only take documents, medicines, water, and snacks. We left everything else and went to the train station as the bombs fell.”—Nataliia, from Kharkiv, Ukraine.

“Until the last moment, we believed that there would be no war. I heard blasts from some parts of the city, and windows were shaking. I decided to leave, taking only really necessary things. I left home at 8:00 in the morning and took a train to Lviv and then a bus to Poland.”—Nadija, from Kharkiv, Ukraine.