ROSTOV-ON-DON, July 7 (RIA Novosti) – Almost 24,000 refugees from Ukraine are staying in Russia’s Rostov Region, the regional emergency department reported Monday.
“In total, 23,845 people, including 8,857 children, have been accommodated” in the region, according to the authorities.
Almost 20,000 people are staying with relatives and local residents, while others have been housed in temporary accommodation centers.
The influx of refugees from the southeastern Ukraine increased dramatically in June amid continuing clashes between independence supporters and Kiev-led security forces.
Most refugees arrive in Russia’s southern Rostov Region and Crimea, from where the authorities transport some of them to other regions of the country.
Last week, a state of emergency was declared across the entire Rostov Region. The measure is aimed at facilitating the work of temporary accommodation centers and ensuring sustenance for the refugees.
According to the recent estimates by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), about 110,000 people have fled Ukraine to Russia since the beginning of the crisis.
The number of Ukrainians arriving in Russia from the war-torn southeast Ukraine may reach 300,000 by the end of this year, according to Russian Regional Development Minister Igor Slyunyayev.
