WARSAW / KRAKOW (VG) Poland’s largest cities do not accept large numbers of refugees. On the fourth night, small children sleep on the concrete floor.
Among five and six-year-old boys blowing soap bubbles and kicking football, Valentina, a desperate mother of five, sits and cries at a train station in Crago.
– Putin’s death, her hiccups, life in pockets scattered around her.
She has been living here for four days.
About 2.6 million people have now left Ukraine, nearly 1.6 million to Poland.
Warsaw and Krakow Can no longer receive Ukrainian refugeesState Border Guard reports.
About 80,000-100,000 Ukrainians arrived in Krakow in two weeks. Warsaw has already received 200,000 refugees from Ukraine.
Now the capital, Warsaw, is seeking Europe’s help.
– No room for anyone
Four days ago, Valentina, Alex (8), Peter (8) and Maria (12) came here from a village outside Kiev. As the Russian troops approached, they awoke with a loud roar.
In shock and despair, you boarded the train to Lviv, where they had to wait 24 hours, boarding the train to Krakw.
When they arrived, some of Jehovah’s Witnesses told them that there was a place to stay that was about 20 miles[70 km]outside the city. But when they got there, they were not allowed in, says Valentina.
– We went to the police and they helped us get back here. We’ve trying to find a place to stay, but we can not trust anyone anymore.
– Says the resigned mother at the noise of the great crowd in the departing hall that now there is no room for anyone.
Broken distrust
A mother of five has no more than 50 Polish slots and no more than 100 kroner. She has 900 kroner in Ukrainian hryvnia, but no one wants to exchange.
At home in Ukraine, she had two jobs as a cleaner and a cook. But he was not paid because of the war.
– We can’t go from here.
Like many others she does not know Polish or English.
If we ask her what she thinks about being in this situation, she is going to break down. Then she replies:
– We try to be busy. We start to cry when we start thinking. We can’t think about the future, we try not to think, he says.
– I do not like my two children and the rest of the family at home.
– Send Hercules planes!
On a large banner with Norwegian, Danish and Swedish flags, stands volunteer John Helge Vasbo from the city of Sandnes, who is helping Norwegian refugees with large buses.
He is facing opposition from Polish authorities – and says police are planning to arrest some volunteers recently. He describes chaotic and difficult working conditions.
– This is a disaster. Only volunteers arrange for the escape and the people are safe. Norwegian and European authorities must now take action.
– Send buses and Hercules planes! He insists.
Hometown bombing
Kalina, 45, is now one of those traveling to Norway.
His hometown of Dinibro was bombed yesterday, and three rockets struck near a kindergarten and apartment building. Reuters.
– A man died. Is pathetic. We did not expect that to happen.
Now she is asking the other family in the house to leave as soon as they can.
“People are afraid that this is just the beginning,” says Galina, who wants to return to her Toyota job soon in Ukraine.
Helped Canada
Refugees are also standing close to the platforms in the capital, Warsaw. Some go to Krakow, others go out and head west in Europe.
We meet a mother and daughter crying on stage, not knowing what to do or where to live.
– I’m so scared of my grandparents that they are too old to go, says 18-year-old Anna.
Svitlana Lytyvnova, originally from Kharkiv, but has lived in Canada for many years, stands by and says goodbye to the families who arranged for her escape.
– Now they are going to Vienna, where they will get a visa to Canada. I’ll be right back.
– You need to help those you can! Says the woman who helped a random family.
– It melts when you see those kids.
“Music geek. Coffee lover. Devoted food scholar. Web buff. Passionate internet guru.”
