Polish border guards on Sunday says nearly 200,000 people had entered the European Union member from Ukraine in the days since Russia invaded the ex-Soviet country.
the latest the figure represents an increase of tens of thousands on what was reported on Saturday, showing just how Ukrainian refugees quickly flocked to their western neighbour.
“Above last three and one half days, nearly 200,000 people have received help on our territory,” said Tomasz Praga, the head of the Polish border guard. He told reporters that on Saturday alone more over 77,000 people had crossed into Poland from Ukraine.
Poland, which was already home to about 1.5 million Ukrainians before Russia invasion Thursday and who expressed his firmness support for Ukraine, has so far seen the main of those fleeing Ukraine enter son territory.
But thousands of others fled to Ukraine’s other neighbours, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania.
While dozens of thousands of refugees leave Ukraine in the middle of Russia attack on the country, some Ukrainians men and women come back home from all over Europe to help defend their homeland.
At the checkpoint in Medika, in from southeastern Poland, many were standing in a line early Sunday to cross into Ukraine.
“We must defend our homeland. Who else but us“said a man with a mustache in of face of a group of about twenty Ukrainians truck drivers walk to the checkpoint to enter Ukraine. They came from all over Europe to return to Ukraine. They spoke to the Associated Press (AP) in Ukrainian and in Russian.
Another man in the group said: “The Russians should to fear. We are not afraid.”
Members of the group declined for give their names, or gave only their first names, citing their safety and that of Their families.
A woman in his 30th birthday who he gave him first name, Lesa, spoke to the AP just before entering the checkpoint building. “I’m scared, but I’m a mother and want to be with my children. What can you do? This is scary but I must.”
Another one young wife said she too was coming back to take care of son childrenso Ukrainian men can defend the country.
“We have to, we Ukrainians have to take our children a means for allow our boys at fight,” she says.
At least 150,000 people fled Ukraine to Poland and other neighboring countries countries in the alarm of the Russian invasion, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Saturday. He does not have give the figures for those who go to Ukraine.
