Around five million people, from the parts of Ukraine that Moscow has claimed to have annexed, have left for Russia, a security official was quoted Wednesday as saying by Russian state news agencies.
"Around five million residents of Donbas and southeastern regions of Ukraine
have found shelter in Russia," said the secretary of Russia's National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, referring to the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
He gave no details of how they arrived in the country or within what time frame.
Patrushev said that those arriving from the Moscow-held territories will "continue to receive special attention."
He also said that Moscow plans to help them return to their homes after "safe conditions are created in these regions."
He spoke as Ukrainian forces advanced into areas held by Russia for months.
In a separate military update, Russia's defence ministry said Wednesday that 4.6 million Ukrainians -- including 700,000 children -- have arrived in Russia since the start of Moscow's offensive on February 24.
According to the army, 4,000 of those arrived within the last 24 hours.
Since the start of the offensive, Kyiv has accused Moscow of deportations of its citizens, echoing a Soviet-era practice.
