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Ukraine refugee numbers reach 2.5 million, many children, UN says

An additional estimated 2 million people have been displaced within Ukraine, the United Nations said

Brie Stimson By Brie Stimson Fox News
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Ukrainian refugees flee to Poland to find solidarity Video

Ukrainian refugees flee to Poland to find solidarity

Fox News' Alex Hogan reports from Medyka, Poland on the humanitarian crisis

At least 2.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded late last month as of Friday, according to Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

That number includes more than 1 million children. 

Grandi said the organization also estimates that about two million people have been displaced within Ukraine. "Millions forced to leave their homes by this senseless war," he tweeted Friday morning. 

Ukrainian refugees wait at Przemysl train station, southeastern Poland, on Friday, March 11, 2022. Thousands of people have been killed and more than 2.3 million have fled the country since Russian troops crossed into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Ukrainian refugees wait at Przemysl train station, southeastern Poland, on Friday, March 11, 2022. Thousands of people have been killed and more than 2.3 million have fled the country since Russian troops crossed into Ukraine on Feb. 24. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

UKRAINE'S ‘CELLAR VIOLINIST’ PLAYS ON AS SHE SHELTERS FROM BOMBS

The International Organization for Migration said that around 1.5 million of the refugees have gone to Poland while others have fled to Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. 

Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Some refugees have reported seeing Russian troops target fleeing civilians. 

"The Russians promised to provide a (humanitarian) corridor, which they did not comply with. They were shooting civilians," Ihor Diekov, who crossed the Irpin River outside Kyiv with others on the wooden planks of a makeshift bridge after Ukrainians blew up the concrete span to slow the Russian advance, said. "That’s absolutely true. I witnessed it. People were scared."

Refugees stand in a group after fleeing the war from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Palanca, Moldova, Thursday, March 10, 2022.

Refugees stand in a group after fleeing the war from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Palanca, Moldova, Thursday, March 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

He said he heard gunshots and saw dead bodies on the road. 

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"Yes, I saw corpses of civilians," refugee Ilya Ivanov, who fled from Sumy, said. "They shoot at civilians with machine guns."

The Ukrainian government has accused the Russians of violating temporary ceasefires that the countries had agreed to in order to let civilians leave besieged areas through humanitarian corridors. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.