4.26 million Ukrainian refugees accepted in Europe. During the night Russian raids on Kiev and Odessa
Germany leads the acceptance of non-EU nationals with temporary protection status, with almost 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees (27.9 per cent of the EU total), followed by Poland, with about 987,000 (23.2 per cent) and the Czech Republic, with 370,000 (8.7 per cent)
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At the end of April, the EU welcomed 4.26 million non-EU citizens who fled the war in Ukraine, protected by the temporary protection status introduced after the Russian invasion. This was announced by Eurostat in its monthly data update. Leading the reception is Germany, with almost 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees (27.9% of the EU total), followed by Poland, with about 987,000 (23.2%) and the Czech Republic, with 370,000 (8.7%). Compared to March, the total number rose slightly, by 0.1%. The increase concerned 21 countries, especially Sweden, where there was an increase of more than 9,300 people (+34.6%), mainly related to late renewals of permits. Smaller growth also occurred in the Czech Republic (+5,545; +1.5%) and Germany (+4,465; +0.4%).
Russian raids on Kiev and Odessa overnight
New Russian attacks in the night on Kiev and Odessa. The Ukrainian capital was hit with ballistic missiles and drones as of midnight, in the Obolon district and other districts of the city. The toll is four wounded, announced Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who on Telegram urged the population to stay in shelters. A fire broke out in a multi-storey building in the Solomyanskyi district. According to Ukrainian authorities, the hours-long attacks affected seven of the capital's ten districts. "You cannot break Ukrainians with terror," Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, wrote on Telegram after the attacks.
In Odessa, the drone attack left two people dead and four wounded, as well as damage to a neonatal hospital and several civilian facilities, reports The Kyiv Independent. According to military data, air warnings in Kiev and most Ukrainian regions lasted five hours, until about 5am local time.
Zelensky, concrete US-European action against Moscow needed
The latest barrage of Russian raids prompted Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky today to call for 'concrete actions' by the US and Europe to stop the Russian attacks. "It is important that the response ... (to) Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete actions. The actions of America, which has the power to force Russia to peace. The actions of Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong. The actions of others in the world, who have called for diplomacy and an end to the war and have been ignored by Russia. Strong pressure for peace is needed,' the head of state wrote on Telegram.
The overnight raids are part of intensified operations that Moscow has called retaliatory measures for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory and in particular against Federation air bases. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for tougher sanctions against Russia and a strengthening of Ukrainian air defence following the new attack. "Russia refuses all concrete efforts for peace and faces new, devastating sanctions. Now. There is no more time to lose," he said.
