730,000 Ukrainians have fled their country to seek refuge in Russia since the conflict began in eastern Ukraine, according to data that have been verified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
"They seem credible data provided by Russia. Ukrainians who have crossed the border are not tourists. Han fled the situation in eastern Ukraine," said Vincent Cochetel Tuesday, office director for Europe of UNHCR.
However, of those 730,000, only 168,000 have applied for protection, according to the Russian Federal Migration Service.
In addition, the UN agency that has registered 117,000 IDPs mostly women and kids-- --the in eastern Ukraine, but believes that this is actually a lower figure.
In general, men do not want to register as displaced because they fear being recruited by the Ukrainian army or being victims of reprisals if they return to where they lived. Members of ethnic minorities such as the Roma, for example, are not recorded because they distrust of local authorities, according to UNHCR.
Non-payment of pension and tax
The displaced, abandoned their homes by armed conflict, as well as the social and economic crisis in the country. "The pensions, child benefits and other payments are not paid for three months in places like Lugansk and Donesk. Certain industries do not want to pay taxes and the banking system does not work, which explains why people will additionally military operation, "said Cochetel.
Moreover, Cochetel has indicated that the Ukrainian army has recovered 75% of the territory that had fallen under the control of pro-Russian rebel groups. It is important that 12 locations are again controlled by government forces.
Tension in the big cities
In a city like Slaviansk, one of the centers of the pro-Russian militia operation, 70% of the population of 120,000 people fled their homes "and so far very few have returned."
According to the charity, only about 20,000 displaced persons have returned to their homes, but in other cases have failed because they have been destroyed.
The UNHCR representative said that in some areas up to 60% have been damaged or uninhabitable. "The question now is who will be responsible for the reconstruction," he commented after pleading "impressed" by the level of destruction.
Nothing, fights are held in the outskirts of Donetsk and Lugansk, but the fear is that there is a "mass exodus" if there is heavy fighting in the same cities.
On Tuesday afternoon there have been fighting in a suburb of Donetsk, although government sources have said they are still in preparation to enter these cities.
Debate in the Security Council
At the international level, the Security Council of the UN will meet this Tuesday to request Russia to address the humanitarian situation in the country.
The meeting will take place after the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow official request to the UN, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the International Committee of the Red Cross organization of a humanitarian mission to eastern Ukraine.
Until now, Russia has remained generally isolated in the Security Council on all matters relating to the Ukrainian crisis, so a priori initiative could find a clear opposition of the Western powers, accusing Moscow of supporting separatist East Ukraine. These, in turn, deny legitimacy to the Government of Kiev, nationalist, who came to power in February following the sacking of the previous pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
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