SHARE
COPY LINK

UKRAINE

Which Nordic country has taken in the most Ukrainian refugees?

Over 165,000 displaced persons from Ukraine have been granted temporary protection in the Nordic countries during the last nine months.

Which Nordic country has taken in the most Ukrainian refugees?
The foreign ministers of Ukraine and the Baltic and Nordic countries (minus Denmark) at a press briefing in November 2022. Photo: VALENTYN OGIRENKO / POOL / AFP

A new report from the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR breaks down the number of Ukrainian refugees granted asylum by each of the Nordic countries since their country was invaded by Russia in February.

The report is based on materials including interviews with authorities in each of the countries in the Nordic region.

Sweden is the Nordic country to have taken in the most Ukrainian refugees, with a total of 47,700. Second is Finland with 43,000, followed by Denmark with 34,700.

Norway has granted asylum to 31,000 Ukrainians and 1,700 are in Iceland.

Sweden is also the most populous country in the region with around 10.4 million people as of 2021. Denmark has just under 6 million people, with 5.4 million living in Norway.

The populations of Finland and Iceland are 5.5 million and 370,000 respectively.

The refugees taken in by each of the countries are granted protection under either national laws or the EU’s temporary asylum directive from 2001, which has been used for the first time in response to the war in Ukraine.

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Why is Denmark treating Ukrainian refugees differently to those from Syria?

“Even though we want a quick end to the war, we must assume the conflict could be protracted and that many Ukrainians will stay here,” the report’s author, Anna Berlina, said according to Danish news wire Ritzau.

The temporary EU directive, which was activated on March 4th, was recently extended until March 4th 2024. According to the report, the EU is likely to further extend its directive until March 2025.

The directive requires EU member states to comply with a number of minimum criteria relating to access to health services, the labour market and education.

Denmark’s Ukrainian refugees are covered by a special “Ukrainian law” (Ukrainerlov) adopted by parliament in March.

Berlina said a long-term strategy is needed for refugees from Ukraine.

“This shows the necessity for a long-term plan for how we can best help Ukrainian refugees that have come to the Nordics,” she said.

READ ALSO: Denmark could see new influx of Ukrainian refugees 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

UKRAINE

Norway to deliver six F-16 jets to Ukraine later this year

Norway will begin delivering six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine later this year, Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre said Wednesday at a NATO summit in Washington.

Norway to deliver six F-16 jets to Ukraine later this year

Ukraine hopes the advanced US-made jets will help it gain air superiority over Russia and better protect its troops and cities from daily bombardments by Moscow’s troops.

“Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against air attacks is crucial in its battle against Russia”, Store said.

“Norway has now decided to donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. We plan to start delivering the aircraft in the course of 2024.”

The announcement came as Denmark and the Netherlands have begun transferring F-16s to Ukraine, the White House said.

“Combined with air defence systems, the fighter jets will be vital to enabling the Ukrainians to defend themselves against Russian air attacks”, Store added.

The prime minister said Norway would continue to support the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots that began last fall on the Skrydstrup air base in Denmark.

Russia has said its forces will target any Western military hardware, including F-16s, shipped to Kyiv.

Last week its military claimed to have hit three Ukrainian air bases in as many days, raising concerns about Kyiv’s ability to protect its airfields ahead of the arrival of the F-16s.

As part of its support for Ukraine, the Norwegian Defence Equipment Agency struck a more than one-billion Norwegian kroner ($93 million) deal on Tuesday with the Finnish-Norwegian defence group Nammo to ramp up production of artillery and missile ammunition.

Nammo will invest in a new production line allowing it to increase the output of artillery shells tenfold.

The deal is “of great importance for Ukraine, for the security of allies and for our own national preparedness”, Norway’s premier said.

SHOW COMMENTS