The United Nations says more than 4 million Ukrainians have now left the country to flee Russia's unprovoked invasion, and the world body's human rights commissioner expressed concern about indiscriminate attacks by Russian forces in Ukraine, saying some of them could amount to war crimes.
According to the UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, the total number of refugees as of midday on March 29 was 4.02 million, with just over half of that total making their way into Poland.
"Refugees from Ukraine are now 4 million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a tweet on March 30, adding that he had just arrived in Ukraine to discuss ways to increase support "to people affected and displaced by this senseless war."
The number matches the UNHCR's initial estimate of the number of refugees that could be created by the war. More than 6 million others are internally displaced, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.
Prior to the invasion, which Russia launched on February 24, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russian-occupied Crimea and regions in the east that were controlled by Kremlin-backed separatists.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern about the number of refugees in her latest report on the rights situation in Ukraine.
Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 30 that Ukraine had been "enduring a living nightmare" since Russia launched its full-scale invasion five weeks ago.
"The lives of millions of people are in upheaval as they are forced to flee their homes or hide in basements and bomb shelters as their cities are pummeled and destroyed," she said.
In addition, she said her office had received credible allegations that Russian armed forces had used cluster munitions in populated areas at least 24 times.
The office is likewise probing allegations that Ukrainian forces had also used such weapons, she said.
In addition, her office has verified 77 incidents in which medical facilities were damaged. Ten of the facilities were completely destroyed, she said, stressing that the actual numbers are likely higher.
"Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes," Bachelet said.