In Pictures

Photos: Displaced but determined as Ukrainians flee fighting

At least 3.8 million Ukrainians have crossed into other countries, while about 6.5 million have been internally displaced.

Sofia Boiko, 90, arrives at the Ukrainian Red Cross center in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine — Sofia Boiko, 90, arrives at the Ukrainian Red Cross centre in Mykolaiv. Boiko fled with others from regions that have been attacked by the Russian military in the Mykolaiv district. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

By AP

Ukrainian volunteers fold clothing at a centre in Mykolaiv set up to supply the army with homemade body armour, clothing and other supplies.

Displaced people disembark from a damaged bus upon their arrival at the Ukrainian Red Cross centre in the key shipbuilding centre on the Black Sea coast. Among them is 90-year-old Sofia Boiko, her eyes fearful from under a blue plaid shawl.

An icon is wrapped on a column at the volunteer centre by a banner scribbled with the words, “I love Ukraine,” and “I hate Putin” in the colours of Ukraine’s blue-and-yellow flag, along with these simple words of encouragement: “STAY STRONG.”

Faced with fierce Ukrainian resistance, Russian forces are stalled at Mykolaiv, an entry point to several other key Black Sea ports, which if seized, would completely cut off Ukraine’s access to its coast.

UNHCR says the war has triggered Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II, and the speed and breadth of refugees fleeing to countries including Poland, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia — as well as Russia — is unprecedented in recent times. Poland alone has taken in 2.3 million refugees and Romania nearly 600,000.

The total exodus now stands at 3.87 million, according to the latest tally announced on Monday from UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.

A volunteer folds army clothes inside a Ukrainian volunteer center in Mykolaiv — A volunteer folds military clothes inside a Ukrainian volunteer centre in Mykolaiv. Ukrainian volunteers have set up a centre to supply the army and civilians with clothing, food, medicines and homemade body armour. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

A soldier stands on a bridge destroyed by the Ukrainian army to prevent the passage of Russian tanks near Brovary, on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv. [Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo]

An icon is wrapped on a column of a building inside a Ukrainian volunteer center in Mykolaiv — A letter is wrapped on a column of a building inside a Ukrainian volunteer centre in Mykolaiv. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

Local residents pass by a damaged Russian tank in the town of Trostyanets, east of capital Kyiv — Residents pass a damaged Russian tank in the town of Trostyanets, east of Kyiv. A monument to World War II is seen in the background. [Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo]

A man rides a bicycle backdropped by a statue of Grand Princess Olga of Kyiv, in the process of being covered in sandbags to avoid damage from potential shelling, in Kyiv. [Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo]

Halyna Falko looks at the destruction caused after a Russian attack inside her house near Brovary, on the outskirts of Kyiv. [Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo]

Displaced people disembark from a damaged bus upon their arrival at the Ukrainian Red Cross center in Mykolaiv — Displaced people disembark from a damaged bus upon their arrival at the Ukrainian Red Cross centre in Mykolaiv. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

A volunteer smokes next to sandbags used for protection, at a Ukrainian volunteer center in Mykolaiv, — A volunteer smokes next to sandbags used for protection at a Ukrainian volunteer centre in Mykolaiv. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

Ukrainian soldiers prepare to bury 32-year-old Senior Lieutenant Pavlo Chernikov — Ukrainian soldiers prepare to bury Senior Lieutenant Pavlo Chernikov, 32, and soldier Roman Valkov, 47, during their funerals at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, after being killed in action. [Nariman el-Mofty/AP Photo]

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop a tank near the town of Trostyanets, Ukraine — Ukrainian servicemen ride atop a tank near the town of Trostyanets. [Felipe Dana/AP Photo]

The bodies of two Russian soldiers lie in the town of Trostyanets, Ukraine — The bodies of two Russian soldiers are seen in the town of Trostyanets [Felipe Dana/AP Photo]