Record number of refugees worldwide, including Ukrainians

Statistics show one displaced person for every 74 people in the world. That's the data reported by Reuters, based on this year's UN study.

Until 2011, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons in the world was stable at around 40 million. However, the situation changed after the conflict in Syria. Since then, the number of internally displaced persons has steadily increased.

The increase of some 19 million to 108.4 million by the end of last year is the biggest annual jump on record, according to a UNHCR report published on Wednesday. The number has since risen to 110 million, Reuters reported.

Of the total number of refugees and those in need of international protection, about half came from just three countries: Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan, it noted.

Earlier Sotsportal reported that more than a hundred countries are celebrating World Refugee Day on June 20. According to the Human Rights Ombudsman, more than 8 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes because of Russian aggression. Of these, 5 million have found temporary shelter abroad. However, some refugees have returned to Ukraine.