One Year Ago: Russia Invades Ukraine, Refugee Exodus Follows

A year ago today, Russia invaded Ukraine. A stalemate continues as we enter year two.  Refugees fled the country and resettled.  Reportedly, “[m]ore than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war, according to the United Nations refugee agency, and nearly 5 million have registered for EU temporary protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe.”

The migration of Ukrainians pushed the United States to rethink its approach on refugee policies, Bernd Debusmann Jr. reports for BBC News. 

About 109,000 refugees were able to find refuge and sponsorship in the U.S. through Uniting For Ukraine. Since then, many Ukrainians and their sponsors have formed special bonds, creating friendships beyond the program’s initial commitments. 

KJ