Star Metro - Another 45,000 flee Ukraine war

In total, 5,232,014 people have fled Ukraine as refugees since February 24, according to the latest data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

That marks an increase of 45,270 over Sunday's figure.

The outflow has meanwhile slowed since the start of the war.

Since the beginning of April, just under 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled the country, after some 3.4 million left in March.

The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said an additional 218,000 citizens of third countries -- largely students and migrant workers -- have also escaped to neighbouring countries since the invasion began.

Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have fled abroad, with men aged 18 to 60 eligible for military call-up unable to leave.

Beyond the refugees, the IOM estimates more than 7.7 million people have been displaced within Ukraine.

Almost two-thirds of Ukrainian children have had to flee their homes, including those who remain in the country.

Before the invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist-controlled regions in the east.

Here is a breakdown of how many Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighbouring countries, according to UNHCR:

- Poland -

Nearly six out of 10 Ukrainian refugees -- 2,909,415 so far -- have crossed into Poland, according to UNHCR numbers up to April 24.

Polish border guards put the number even higher, saying 2,944,000 Ukrainians have passed into the country in the past two months.

Many of them have travelled on to other states in Europe's Schengen open-borders zone.

Meanwhile, more than 800,000 people have crossed from Poland into Ukraine, Polish border guards said.

Before the war, Poland was home to around 1.5 million Ukrainians, chiefly migrant workers.

- Romania -

A total of 777,602 Ukrainians have entered the EU member state as of April 23, including a large number who crossed over from Moldova, wedged between Romania and Ukraine.

The vast majority are thought to have gone on to other countries.

- Russia -

Another 605,815 refugees have sought shelter in Russia, according to data last updated on April 24.

In addition, 105,000 people crossed into Russia from the separatist-held pro-Russian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine between February 18 and 23.

- Hungary -

A total of 492,976 Ukrainians have entered Hungary.

- Moldova -

The Moldovan border is the closest to the major port city of Odessa. A total of 433,895 Ukrainians have crossed into the non-EU state, one of the poorest in Europe, with a population of 2.6 million. Most have moved on.

- Slovakia -

A total of 355,593 people have crossed Ukraine's shortest border into Slovakia.

- Belarus -

Another 24,477 refugees made it north to Russia's close ally Belarus as of April 24.

P.Lefebvre--SMC