More than 10M people in Ukraine may flee their homes over war: UN

WASHINGTON

The war staged by Russia in Ukraine might force more than 10 million people to leave their homes, the UN warned Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres, said "needs in Ukraine are growing and spreading by the hour," citing his UN colleagues on the ground in the former Soviet republic.

"They warned that while the scaling scope of displacement is not yet clear, we do expect that more than 10 million people may flee their homes if violence continues, including 4 million people who make cross-borders to neighboring countries," said Dujarric.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said Wednesday that 1 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its war on Feb. 24.

"In just seven days, we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries,” he said on Twitter. "For many millions more inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided."

*Betul Yuruk in New York contributed to the story