(AFP) Illegal migrant crossings into the European Union rose by 82 percent between January and May compared to the same period in 2021, the European border agency said on Monday.
Frontex said there were 86,420 irregular crossings into the 27-nation bloc in the first five months of the year, according to its initial calculations.
In May alone, 23,500 irregular migrants made the journey, a rise of 75 percent on the previous May, it said.
Ukrainians entering the EU via recognised border crossing points were not included in the data.
Five and a half million Ukrainians have reached the EU directly from Ukraine or via Moldava since Russia invaded the country on February 24, Frontex said.
