As the Russian military invades Ukraine, the number of people evacuating to neighboring countries continues to increase.

According to the Polish Ministry of Interior, 1,067,000 people have been evacuated to Poland between the 24th of last month and the 6th of this month, when Russia's military invasion began.



On the 6th of this month, 142,300 people entered Poland in one day, the highest number since the military invasion began.



Women and the elderly with children who had evacuated from all over Ukraine arrived one after another at the checkpoint in Medica, a border town in the southeastern part of Ukraine on the 7th.



Even during the daytime, the temperature in the area is cold to near 0 degrees Celsius, so those who have evacuated should wrap a special blanket to maintain their body temperature or eat hot food to keep out the cold. I was there.



Then, when the buses heading for the nearby town, which is the base for relief supplies and temporary shelters, arrived, they boarded the buses one after another.



According to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), by the 6th of this month, 1,735,000 people had been evacuated from Ukraine, and outside Poland, Hungary had 180,000, Slovakia had nearly 130,000, and Moldova. 80,000 people have been evacuated to Ukraine.

Many evacuees every day in Lviv near the Polish border

Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, is close to the border with Poland and serves as a stopover for people fleeing abroad, so many people are rushing to the station every day.



According to Reuters news agency, on the 7th, thousands of people who had evacuated from various places to catch a train heading abroad were gathering around the station. You can see the columns.



Most were women, children and the elderly, some of whom were young girls sitting on bags on the ground.



Volunteers were handing out food and hot drinks to those who had been waiting for the train for a long time as the snow flickers.

Japanese women evacuated to Lviv

A Japanese woman who lives in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and evacuated to Lviv last week, responded to NHK's interview after 11:00 am on the 7th local time.



Asami Terashima (21) from Hirakata City, Osaka, has lived in Ukraine for a long time and is currently working as a reporter for the local internet media, but she left Kyiv where she lived and evacuated to Lviv on the 1st of this month. Did.



Mr. Terashima explained the situation at that time, "I didn't know how long the infrastructure would last, and the Russian tanks were approaching 30 kilometers before, so I left Kyiv."



Regarding the situation of the train to evacuate, "Thousands of people are waiting for the train at the central station of Kyiv, and the conductor gives priority to women and children because not all of them can get on, and for men," Remain in Kyiv. I want you to fight. "



Regarding the current Lviv, he said, "The store is open as usual depending on whether there are air raid warnings once or twice a day, and I am surprised at the difference from Kyiv, which had many bombing sounds and air raid warnings." ..



Regarding the current situation in Kiev, he said, "There are still colleagues in Kyiv, and he said,'The city is quiet and quiet, and the tension is still high, but I can't hear the gunshots so much.'" I told you.



On the other hand, Russia has set up evacuation routes for citizens in four cities such as Kyiv and announced that it will temporarily ceasefire in these areas. I can't imagine if they would create an evacuation route to protect the inhabitants. "

Women who have evacuated from Mariupol

A woman evacuating from the city of Mariupol in the east, where the Russian army's heavy airstrikes continue, said in an online interview with NHK, "The city was like hell. It's a miracle to live like this. Relatives and friends I'm still in the city and I don't know if it's safe, "explained the dire situation in the area and urged Russia to stop the attack.



Diana Berg, 42, said she and her husband headed to the western part of Ukraine on the 4th of this month when she evacuated from the city of Mariupol in the east as the Russian army's attacks intensified. It means that he is in the process of evacuating.



Mr. Berg responded to an online interview in a moving car, saying, "Everywhere in the city was bombarded and the sound of bombardment was heard constantly. The power plant was also attacked and the Internet, heating, etc. I couldn't use it anymore. I didn't know when I would be bombarded, and there was no place to hide, with so many people evacuating to the underground shelter. "



She explained.



And she said, "It was just a bet to be able to escape safely from the city of Mariupol, surrounded by many Russian tanks. I think it's a miracle to be alive. There are many people who have done it. "



Many of Berg's relatives and friends are still left behind in Mariupol's city and remain out of touch.



She said, "I want the remaining people to move to a safe place in a day, so I want them to stop the airstrikes and realize an evacuation route. If you hear my voice, take action anyway." I appealed to the international community for support.

Some people return to Ukraine

A large number of people fleeing Ukraine are arriving at the central station of Przemysl, a town in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine.



On the other hand, although the number of people is small, on the contrary, there are movements of people trying to return to the Ukrainian side, and at the station there was a line of people waiting for the train to the city in Ukraine.



Of these, a 37-year-old Ukrainian man, who usually works as a driver in Poland, is a former soldier and is heading to Odessa in the south to participate in the fight against Russia. ..



The man said, "Ukraine is our land and cannot be robbed by anyone else. We want to protect our family and friends."



The 64-year-old woman also decided to return to the western city of Lviv, where her 34-year-old daughter remains, although she fled to Poland on the 4th of this month.



She said she said she "again, she didn't want to go anywhere else because she wanted to live in her own country, her own home."



In addition, a 27-year-old woman working for a Czech company said she was on her way to the town where her parents in her 50s lived. I have to turn back. "

Romanian evacuees open a banquet hall to a private hotel

In Romania, a neighboring country of Ukraine, the circle of support by citizens is expanding, such as the opening of banquet halls by private hotels to evacuees.



Located in Suceava, northern Romania, about 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the hotel opens a building with a banquet hall to evacuees.



People who arrived by bus from the border rested their tired bodies on the mattresses lined up in the banquet hall and played with their children after the reception.



The hotel was opened to those evacuated shortly after the Russian invasion began in Ukraine and has been used by more than 2,600 people so far.



A 16-year-old woman who fled the capital Kyiv with her family said, "I was helped by many people on my way here. I can rest assured that I can be with her family here." I was talking.



Currently, 300 locals are volunteering to serve meals and play with children.



Hotel owner Stephen Mandachi said, "I don't know how long this situation will last, but I would like to provide services such as warm meals and medical support."



Meanwhile, in Sighetu Marmaziei, about 180 kilometers west of Suceava, the Romanian government, local governments and NGOs have collaborated to set up tents to arrange buses and trains to their destinations and provide accommodation. I'm doing it.



The evacuated people stopped by the tent to receive the necessary services and headed for their next destination.