Ukraine's State Border Service updates border crossing statistics

MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) - The number of border crossings from Ukraine increased to 230,000 between March 16-22 from 209,000 the week before, with the number of crossings into Ukraine growing to 219,000 from 207,000, Ukrainian media said, citing data from the State Border Service of Ukraine.

The number of vehicles crossing the border has been on the rise for the fourth consecutive week, increasing to 122,000 from 116,000 in the previous week, whereas the number of vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo edged down to 743 from 769.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Deputy Restoration Minister Sergei Derkach, who expressed hope in mid-March that the situation on the Polish-Ukrainian border might improve following talks between the two countries' governments set for March 28, once again advised carriers to search for and to use alternative routes. Carriers have chosen to follow this advice, at the same time complaining about rising transport costs.

Updated statistics from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees put the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of March 14 of this year at 5.983 million, which is 21,000 fewer than the month before, and at 6.486 million globally, 6,000 more compared to the previous month.

According to UN data, there were 3.689 million internally displaced persons inside Ukraine as of December 31, 2023, which is 15,000 more than in early November.