The Polish man suspected of raping a Ukrainian by promising him shelter

A man has been arrested in Poland after allegedly raping a 19-year-old woman whom he lured into his home via the internet, with housing offers after she left Ukraine.

In an incident that has sparked growing fears about human trafficking and sexual exploitation as a result of Russian occupation, police in Wroclaw have said he has arrested the 49-year-old suspect on rape charges.

He could face 12 years in prison for “brutal crime”, authorities said.

He met with the girl by offering his help via the internet. She escaped from Ukraine destroyed by war, not speaking Polish. She trusted a man who promised to help and shelter her. Unfortunately, all this turned out to be fraudulent manipulation”, the police statement said.

In another reported case in Poland, the state that has received about 1.5 million refugees from neighbouring Ukraine, a man was heard promising work and a room for a 16-year-old girl before authorities intervened.

And a particular story from a refugee camp at Poland's Medoka border emerged after doubts arose when a man was offering help only to women and children.

As millions of women and children flee across Ukraine's borders in the face of Russian aggression, concerns are growing as to how to protect refugees from being targeted by human traffickers or become victims of other forms of exploitation.

Of course, all refugees are women and children”, said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, head of U n NHCR for global communications, which has visited borders in Romania, Poland and Moldova.

The UN refugee agency has disclosed that more than 2.5 million people, including more than a million children, have already left war-torn Ukraine.