That number includes civilians fleeing pro-Russian separatist-held areas of the self-proclaimed Democratic Republics of Danetsk and Luhansk, which Moscow recognized as independent states before launching an invasion of Ukraine on February 24. > The Russian government claims that these civilians are leaving voluntarily. Kyiv accuses Moscow of forcing deportations of Ukrainians. The Ukrainian government and Western governments are talking about an “unprovoked” offensive war. coordinated by the United Nations and the Red Cross with the involvement of the Russian and Ukrainian armed forces.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, almost 200,000 children were among the 1.1 million people transferred from Russian territory after February 24.
