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Ukraine immigration to EU grows tenfold amid crisis

BRUSSELS, July 07. /ITAR-TASS/. The number of Ukrainian immigrants in countries of the European Union has grown eight- or tenfold since the change of regime in Kiev, said a report by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) on Monday.

It said more than 2,000 people had asked for asylum in 28 EU countries from March to May. Thus, 700 to 800 of only official asylum applications are registered monthly, while the flow of migrants from Ukraine to Europe in the post-Soviet period had been at about 100 people a month.

EASO also drew attention to the fact that unlike in previous years, when a significant number of applications were repeat applications, more than 90% of Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Europe this year are trying to immigrate for the first time.

The agency was reporting only on official applications for asylum, without specifying the situation in the sphere of illegal migration. On the whole, the EU has been registering a surge in migration over the recent months. From January to June, the number of legal migrants grew almost 20% year-on-year. The main flow of refugees is from trouble spots, such as Syria or Afghanistan, as well as from such countries as Libya and Somalia, zones where efficient statehood has been lost.