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Embassy: Protection for Ukrainian refugees in Poland not yet extended

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Embassy: Protection for Ukrainian refugees in Poland not yet extended
Refugees through Przemysl train station after fleeing from war-torn Ukraine on April 3, 2022, in Medyka, Poland. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The Polish government's extension of refugee protection so far concerns only third-country residents of Ukraine who fled the country, not Ukrainian citizens granted protection under a special law, the Ukrainian Embassy in Poland said, clarifying an earlier announcement.

"Citizens of Ukraine who received temporary protection in Poland on the basis of the Special Law from March 12, 2022... as of Jan. 18, 2024, may stay in Poland under this status until March 4, 2024," the embassy said on social media.

"Further changes will be announced separately."

The extension of protection until March 2025 was provided to third-country citizens or stateless persons who permanently resided in Ukraine at the start of the invasion and arrived in Poland after fleeing the war.

According to the Polish newspaper Gazeta Prawna, the Polish government is working on amendments to the special law to extend the stay for Ukrainian refugees as well.

The document is expected to be submitted to the parliament for approval in the coming weeks.

Poland hosts around 1 million Ukrainians who fled from Russia's war, the highest number of all countries. The U.N. records approximately 6 million refugees residing abroad as a result of Russian aggression.

The EU initially activated the Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian refugees in March 2022, shortly after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The European bloc has extended the measure several times since then, most recently in October 2023.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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