Read news from:
Austria
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.

Published: 8 December 2022 14:10 CET
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.

POLITICS

Norway uncovers Russian agents amid sabotage concerns

The Norwegian intelligence service, PST, has revealed the presence of multiple Russian agents operating in western Norway.

Published: 3 May 2024 10:43 CEST
Norway uncovers Russian agents amid sabotage concerns

Torgils Lutro, head of PST Vest, disclosed in an interview with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) that these agents may have been preparing for acts of sabotage.

NRK noted that potential targets could have included Haakonsvern, northern Europe’s largest naval base, as well as crucial oil, gas, and power facilities in the region.

Lutro said that Russian agents were focused on gathering intelligence on critical infrastructure, military installations, and Norwegian preparedness routines.

While the exact number of exposed agents remains undisclosed, the PST has previously warned about the risks posed by Russian espionage and that espionage activity has heightened since Russia invaded Ukraine.

“In Vestland (County), we have strongly suspected, but have also uncovered, hostile and unwanted Russian intelligence activities since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022,” Lutro said.

Russia’s motives

The PST Vest chief suggested that Russia aimed to tarnish Norway’s reputation among its allies.

“It’s evident that one of Russia’s objectives is to portray us in a negative light. They seek to demonstrate that we lack control over our own affairs or that we’re unable to support our allies during future crises,” he said.

Following the war in Ukraine, Norwegian authorities have expelled over 15 people from the Russian embassy in Norway over suspected espionage.

This has prompted Russia to reassess its intelligence personnel and resources, according to the PST.

“Identifying these agents isn’t straightforward. They blend into society, which is part of their job. They may not even hold Russian citizenship, but are motivated by factors like money or threats,” Lutro said.

The PST has consistently highlighted Russian intelligence activities as a growing threat to Norway’s security in its annual threat assessments, including the most recent one in 2024.

“We’ve employed various methods to uncover these activities, and in some instances, we have a clear understanding of how they operate,” Lutro said.

SHOW COMMENTS