Hundreds of people of Ukrainian and Russian origin living in Sheffield, new figures show, as support promised

According to the data released by Office for National Statistics (ONS) for its 2021 Census, there are 160 Ukrainian-born and 300 Russian-born living in Sheffield, with a total Russian population of 53,120 and 37,530 Ukrainians who live across England and Wales.

The figures have been released to assist authorities in providing support to communities impacted by the invasion.

An ONS spokesperson said: “To support and inform the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have been able to use preliminary counts from Census 2021, the most up to date data available, to help local and national emergency response planners who need to understand communities across England and Wales.

“This could help targeted communications and support to communities most impacted by the effects of the invasion. Having the most comprehensive data available is necessary to ensure central government and local authorities have the most accurate picture of the populations which may be affected.

“All data have been anonymised and aggregated so no individuals are identifiable and no counts of less than 20 have been published.”

According to the United Nations, at least one million people have fled Ukraine in the week since Russia's invasion, with one official warning that the exodus might become "the biggest refugee crisis this century" if it continues at its current pace.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported on Thursday that more than two per cent of Ukraine's population, estimated by the World Bank to be 44 million at the end of 2020, had crossed the borders in just seven days.

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