UN also warned that three million more were expected to follow this year.

In total, 5,264,767 people have fled Ukraine as refugees since February 24, according to the latest data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

That marks an increase of 32,753 over Monday’s figure.

While the outflow has slowed significantly since March, UNHCR said Tuesday it now projects that three million more Ukrainians could become refugees by the end of the year.

UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said the new projection of 8.3 million Ukrainian refugees was a planning figure, and that it was unclear when it would be reached amid a “highly dynamic” situation.

“This displacement has been on such an expansive scale, and the rapidity of this we haven’t seen in recent times,” she told reporters in Geneva.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said an additional 224,975 citizens of third countries — largely students and migrant workers — have also escaped to neighbouring countries since the invasion began.

Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have fled abroad, with men aged 18 to 60 eligible for military call-up unable to leave.

Beyond the refugees, the IOM estimates more than 7.7 million people have been displaced within Ukraine.

Almost two-thirds of Ukrainian children have had to flee their homes, including those who remain in the country.

Before the invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist-controlled regions in the east.

Recall that following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky had called on people around the world to join the fight.

Following this announcement, more than 150 Nigerians have volunteered to be recruited in joining the fight.

The government has however in a statement on Monday by the Spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francisca Omayuli, said the its would not tolerate the recruitment exercise going on.

According to the statement, the Federal Government would engage with the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria and other relevant authorities to prevent this.

The statement read, “The attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been drawn to an alleged ongoing registration of Nigerian volunteers into the fighting force of Ukraine at the Ukrainian Embassy in Abuja.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted the Embassy to verify the speculation. The Ukrainian Embassy refuted the allegation but confirmed that a number of Nigerians had approached the Embassy indicating their willingness to fight on the side of Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

“Furthermore, the Embassy clarified that the Ukrainian government is not admitting foreign volunteer fighters and as such dissociated itself from the claim that it is requesting $1,000 from each Nigerian volunteer for air ticket and visa.

“As a responsible member of the international community and consistent with our obligations under international law, Nigeria discourages the use of mercenaries anywhere in the world and will not tolerate the recruitment, in Nigeria, of Nigerians as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world.

“The Federal Government will continue to engage with the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria and other relevant authorities to prevent this possibility.”

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Zubairu Dada, made this known while speaking with the State House Correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister, who spoke alongside the Minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Sadiya Farouk, said the approval followed a joint memo presented by both ministries at the Council meeting.

According to him, the Federal Government has contracted Air Peace and Max Air airlines to avail three aircraft to facilitate the evacuation.

Dada said that Air Peace and Max Air airlines have been contracted to provide three aircraft and run as many shifts as possible to facilitate the evacuation, adding that those to be evacuated include 940 from Romania, 150 from Slovakia, and 350 from Poland who has registered for evacuation.

On the amount approved, Dada explained that “The ministry of humanitarian affairs wrote a memo to the president seeking funding to enable us to conduct this exercise. The memo was to the tune of $8.5m which Mr. President has graciously approved. That provision entails an arrangement to evacuate no less than 5,000 Nigerians.

“It also includes some assistance for the feeding that may have been done by the missions under whatever arrangements. Even the missions themselves are also in dire situations.”

Asked if the amount will be released immediately for the exercise, the Minister said: “That is why the evacuation flights will begin today (Wednesday).”

But in August, separatists supported by the UAE seized control the city of Aden from Saudi-backed government forces.

The UN said the deal was an important step towards ending Yemen’s civil war.

The conflict has devastated the country and claimed the lives of at least 7,000 civilians, according to the UN.

Monitors believe the death toll is far higher. The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) said last week that it had recorded more than 100,000 fatalities , including 12,000 civilians killed in direct attacks.

The fighting has also triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Four-fifths of the population – 24 million people – are in need of humanitarian assistance or protection, including 10 million who rely on food aid to survive.