On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, in a steep escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which had begun in 2014. The invasion caused Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II,[2][3] with more than 6.5 million Ukrainians fleeing the country[4] and a third of the population displaced.[5][6] From February 24 to March 1, Russian forces took most of the Kherson Oblast, including the cities of Berdiansk and Melitopol.[7][8]