Following Old Routes in New Times: Ukrainian Refugees and Migration Patterns in Poland

ABSTRACT Since the end of February 2022, most European Union countries have experienced a substantial inflow of refugees from Ukraine. The pace and scale of this movement are unprecedented. In some countries, such as Poland, this inflow has coincided with the presence of economic migrants who had arrived prior to the outbreak of the war. This article examines the spatial relationships between the inflow of Ukrainian refugees and (i) distance from the Ukrainian border, and (ii) the distribution of economic migrants, and analyses how these relationships have evolved over time. The results demonstrate a significant influence of the Ukrainian diaspora on the spatial distribution of refugees, with this effect strengthening over time.