About 25,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Spain since Russian invasion

About 25,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Spain since Russian invasion
March 21, 2022, 4:21 pm

Spain-Barcelona/Pixabay

The Arab News reported, citing Reuters, Spanish Migration Minister Jose Luis Escriva said on Monday that about 25,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Spain since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24, though only 9,000 of them have registered so far with the authorities.

The United Nations refugee agency estimates nearly 3.5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country, with more than two million of them moving to neighboring Poland. Romania, Hungary and Slovakia also host large numbers of refugees.

Escriva said that in Spain, which is far from the conflict, many of the Ukrainians who have arrived are staying with relatives or friends and have not yet notified the authorities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky: Every Russian rocket that hit our state is an answer to the old question about NATO. About whether the doors of the Alliance are actually open for Ukraine. If they were open, if it was fair, then we would not have to convince the Alliance that the sky over Ukraine needs to be closed. Cover from the death carried by the Russian air force (File photo and text: President Volodymyr Zelensky Facebook page)

Escriva said in an interview with Spanish public news channel TVE: “We have expanded the granting of residence permits to include all people who lived in Ukraine at the time of the invasion, not just Ukrainians."

Escriva said he expects around 9,000 more refugees to register with Spanish authorities this week and to receive European Union temporary protection orders allowing them to immediately obtain residence and work permits in the country.

UK Ukrainian refugees scheme set to launch offeirng £350 a month to hospitable Britons

Ukrainians can freely enter the EU without a visa but require residency permits to remain.

Source: arabnews

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