MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2022) Two million children have fled Ukraine due to Russia's military operation in the country, while more than 2.5 million children have been internally displaced, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported on Wednesday.
"More than 1.1 million children have arrived in Poland, with hundreds of thousands also arriving in Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic," the agency's statement said.
More than 2.5 million children have been internally displaced within Ukraine, the statement noted, adding that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented more than 100 child deaths during the conflict.
"The situation inside Ukraine is spiralling. As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, we must remember that every single one of them needs protection, education, safety and support," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.
In this regard, UNICEF has created so-called Blue Dots centers in refugee-hosting countries that can provide displaced families and children with the necessary help and protect them from trafficking and exploitation, the statement said.
According to UNICEF, some children who have fled Ukraine are still able to receive education in their Ukrainian schools online.
"For others, collective efforts must be made, including by refugee-hosting countries, to make sure that their education continues," the statement said.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian aggression.
