Ukraine update, Fri 4 March

As the war in Ukraine continues, nearly 1.2 million people have now fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries. More than half a million of those are in Poland. The United Nations (UN) estimates that four million people might leave Ukraine in the coming weeks.

One of the most heartwarming moments of this crisis came when trainloads of refugees ended up in Berlin, Germany. Hundreds of locals stood at the train station with signs saying that they would let refugees stay in their homes.

Although Ukraine isn’t part of the European Union (EU), Ukrainian refugees have been given the right to live and work in the EU for the next three years. It’s the first time the EU has ever used what’s known as the Temporary Protection Directive, and it also gives refugees from Ukraine the right to get medical treatment. It’s usually quite hard for refugees to live a normal life when they make their way to a new country, but this should make things much easier for them.

Kherson, in the south of Ukraine, has become the first city to fall under the control of the Russian army. It’s a small but important port and is close to Crimea, the southern region of Ukraine that has been occupied by Russian forces since 2014. The mayor of Kherson said that Russian troops have put a curfew on the city, and people are terrified to leave their homes.

Although deliberately targeting civilians in a war is illegal under international law, hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the last week. Schools, hospitals and buildings such as theatres and gyms have been badly damaged or destroyed, as well as a TV broadcasting tower. The International Criminal Court has already said that it has started an investigation into “war crimes and crimes against humanity” that have taken place as a result of President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.