NEW YORK, 02 March 2022, (TON): Well over 600,000 people have fled Ukraine in under a week, since Russia’s military offensive began, UN humanitarians said as they issued an appeal to protect civilians from further bloodshed.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder said “we know that children have been killed, we know that thousands and thousands are at risk, and we know that more children, gutwrenchingly, are going to die or be injured in this unless fighting ends.”

Speaking over his mobile phone from western Ukraine, where an exodus of families, students and migrants have been making their way westwards towards Poland, among other neighbouring countries, Mr. Elder said that the military escalation that has been reported across several Ukrainian cities would result in more children being separated from their families.

He added “we’re going to see more fathers handing children across to border guards in Poland.”

Needs remain high within Ukraine, in areas most affected by the violence, Mr. Elder insisted, as widely relayed images showed what appeared to be a Russian military convoy approaching Kiev, stretching back some 60 kilometres.