More than 244,000 people asked for asylum in Germany last year, and more than 1 million Ukrainian refugees entered the country seeking asylum from Russian aggression, the German government said, writes AP NEWS.

Syria is the No. 1 country of origin for asylum seekers, followed by Afghanistan, Turkey and Iraq. Ukrainian refugees do not need to apply for asylum, as they immediately receive the status of a temporary resident.

Compared to 2021, the number of asylum seekers increased by 27.9% last year. Especially in the last three months of 2022, the number increased as asylum seekers tried to reach Germany via the Balkan route.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine "

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She said the government is trying to integrate newcomers to Germany faster than in the past by offering, among other measures, immediate language courses.. The government is also trying to expedite the deportation of those whose asylum applications have been rejected..

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered the largest wave of refugees since World War II. More than 7.9 million people have fled the country, and another 5.9 million are internally displaced, according to the UN..