On Saturday, 30 April, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said more than one million Ukrainians had been 'evacuated' to Russia since the start of the war.
Lavrov's comments are the first official insight from Russia into how many people have been moved from Ukraine.
The news comes as southern cities and towns like Mariupol, Kherson, and Nova Kakhovka are currently occupied by Russian troops, with the United Nations (UN) attempting to arrange safe passage for those in the besieged areas.
Advert
As Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine continues, Lavrov said people have been 'evacuated' for their own good, adding that 'the refugees are offered medical and psychological help'.
The foreign minister went on to say that 9,500 temporary facilities were set up across Russia to house new arrivals, The Telegraph reports.
However, Ukraine has claimed that its citizens are being forcibly deported, rather than evacuated, with officials saying that as many as 800,000 people were taken against their will to Russia.
Advert
Ukraine envoy Sergiy Kyslytsya said the transfers were 'kidnapping that requires a resolute response by the international community'.
The conflicting reports come as the first civilians were said to have been evacuated from the Azovstal steelworks in the occupied city of Mariupol yesterday, 30 April.
The steelworks is the last Ukrainian stronghold in the port city, and the civilians are the first to be evacuated from the site.
As estimates on the number of those evacuated has ranged between 20-40 people, Putin previously ordered his troops to seal off the surrounding region 'so that not even a fly comes through', Sky News reports.
Advert
Another thousand people are thought to remain below the steelworks, living in terrible conditions.
The evacuation comes as the UN tried to arrange humanitarian corridors for the safe passage of people from Ukraine.
Advert
Developments in the UN's plans emerged this week when Putin met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 26 April for peace talks.
During the talks, Putin is said to have 'agreed, in principle, to the involvement of the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross in the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol', the UN reported
"Follow-on discussions will be had with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Russian Defence Ministry."
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, World News
Shola Lee