The three-year Russia-Ukraine war has created Europe’s biggest displacement crisis since World War II, forcing millions of Ukrainians from their homes. And there are millions of Ukrainian refugees across Europe as a result of the war.
Here are the recorded numbers of Ukrainian refugees in the 10 European countries that received the most refugees.
24 February 2022 Since the start of the Russian invasion, according to the UN Refugee Agency, more than a third of Ukraine’s population has been forcibly displaced by the war.
The latest data for Russia is as of June 2024, and for the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, it is as of December 2024, and Romania, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Spain by January 2025 and Slovakia by February 2025, according to Visual Capitalist.
The list was published by Visual Capitalist based on data from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the latest available data.
Which 10 European countries have the most Ukrainian refugees?
| Rank | Country | Refugees from Ukraine are registered in the country |
| 1 | Germany 🇩🇪 | 1,243,445 |
| 2 | Russia 🇷🇺 | 1,223,795 |
| 3 | Poland 🇵🇱 | 998,070 |
| 4 | Czechia 🇨🇿 | 390,000 |
| 5 | United Kingdom 🇬🇧 | 254,035 |
| 6 | Spain 🇪🇸 | 223,915 |
| 7 | Romania 🇷🇴 | 179,820 |
| 8 | Italy 🇮🇹 | 170,390 |
| 9 | Slovakia 🇸🇰 | 163,675 |
| 10 | Moldova 🇲🇩 | 127,785 |
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, some 6.9 million Ukrainians have been displaced globally, with around 5 million taking refuge in Europe’s top 10 host countries, according to Visual Capitalist.
Germany (1.24 million), Russia (1.22 million), and Poland (998,000) have the largest number of Ukrainian refugees. On the other hand, smaller countries such as the Czech Republic (390,000), Slovakia (164,000), and Moldova (128,000) have also provided aid, showing signs of a wider Ukraine refugee crisis across Europe.
Many of these European countries have implemented temporary protection measures for refugees, providing housing, health care, and employment opportunities, and demonstrating generosity.
However, as a result of this refugee influx, pressure on resources has created challenges, including housing shortages in some areas and rising rents and competition for affordable housing.
For example, according to Visual Capitalist, a study found that housing rents increased by 0.72-0.74% for every 1% increase in a city’s population due to the influx of Ukrainian refugees into Poland.
Also Read: The impact of illegal immigration across developed countries, including the United States
