According to provisional statistics, the number of foreigners living in Thuringia rose significantly last year. At the end of 2022, 165,840 people with foreign nationality lived in the Free State, as the Thuringian State Office for Statistics announced on Thursday in Erfurt. That was 39,570 more than at the end of 2021. "The main reason for the significant increase was the immigration of Ukrainian nationals due to the Russian war of aggression," according to the statisticians.

At the end of last year, Ukrainians made up the largest group of foreigners living in Thuringia, with 30,150 people, followed by Syrians, Poles and Romanians.

The State Office relies on a preliminary evaluation of raw data from the Central Register of Foreigners. According to this, around 66,165 refugees sought protection in Thuringia last year. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 88 percent, said the State Office for Statistics. With 27,315 people accommodated in Thuringia, Ukrainians represented the largest group of those seeking protection.

Russia launched a war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then, a brutal war has been raging in the Eastern European country with many dead and wounded. Millions of people fled to other countries or within Ukraine.

In Thuringia, the large number of refugees had caused problems with housing people in the municipalities and also in the initial reception center in Suhl. On Thursday evening, refugee policy in the Free State should be discussed at a meeting between the state government and the municipal umbrella organizations. Among other things, the participation of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) was expected. It was planned that advice should primarily be given on financing issues and the accommodation of people.