Ukrainians fleeing to Poland by rail are welcomed with a huge banner reading: "You are safe here."
With scores of Ukrainians fleeing the country to get away to safety from the Russian military, neighboring countries have opened up their borders and homes to those seeking refuge. The people and authorities of different countries in Europe have provided help, food, drink and stay for refugees.
Now, the Polish people have welcomed them with open arms.
More than a million Ukrainians have fled to Poland since February 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine, reports The Guardian. The United Nations estimates more than 1.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries from Ukraine but reports suggest that Poland that has welcomed the majority of the refugees.
Ukrainians fleeing to Poland by rail are welcomed with a huge banner reading: “You are safe here,” said Anastasia Lapatina, a journalist at the Kyiv Independent in an opinion piece for The Guardian.
Passeggini lasciati in stazione per le donne in arrivo dall'Ucraina con neonati. ❤️
— Francesco Malavolta (@MalavoltaF) March 3, 2022
Foto copyright F.Malavolta#RussiaUkraineConflict #ukraine #WWIII #photojournalism pic.twitter.com/rlmXzqkIN0
They are welcomed by Polish volunteers who provide them with necessities for no charge including food, water, and clothing. They can also avail phones with prepaid plans, accommodation, and legal advice at the station.
“I was crying from how they met us," said a Ukrainian woman. "Everything was very well organized at every step. We were told where to go, what to do. I was shocked that they even carried our luggage. It is so touching.”
One moving incident that's winning hearts all over the world is an image of baby strollers that Polish volunteers have left at the train station for arriving Ukrainian refugee moms who may need them.
The strollers were placed there by Polish mothers, according to Francesco Malavolta, the photographer who captured the photo. "The thing that struck me before taking the photo was the absence of people around while two meters away there were miles of people. It seemed surreal," Malavolta told Good Morning America by email. "I thought of them both, about the solidarity of those who brought the strollers and the dramatic stories of mothers fleeing the war."
Dopo la stazione ferroviaria di Przemyśl in Polonia, anche sul confine tra Slovacchia e Ucraina vengono lasciati passaggini per quelle mamme costrette a scappare dall'Ucraina con i loro neonati. Copyright foto e testo Francesco Malavolta#ukraineconflict #Ukraine #WWIII #slovakia pic.twitter.com/w5HfDbYGvd
— Francesco Malavolta (@MalavoltaF) March 7, 2022
Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, who visited the Moldovan border said he expects the situation to get worse, mentioning that the world will see more people leave Ukraine.
"More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighboring countries in 10 days.” Grandi believes the countries have done well to receive refugees but added that the numbers exiting Ukraine were also concerning. “These governments have done very well in their initial response. They were well prepared. But if the numbers continue to grow it will be a problem,” said Grandi.
Disclaimer: Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a developing story, and we’ll update as we learn more. Information is swiftly changing and Women Working is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency in developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication.
References:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/06/polish-ukrainian-border-humanity-refugees
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Sean Gallup
