More than 500,000 refugees have arrived in Przemysl, near the Ukraine-Poland border. While the main train station, which is the first stop for trains arriving from Ukraine, is packed with Ukrainian asylum seekers, the refugees are greeted at the station entrance by a large banner reading “You are safe now.” Poland, NGOs, and aid organizations meet all of the needs of refugees fleeing Ukraine, from cleaning and hygiene supplies to food and beverages. While GSM operators also give away free SIM cards, refugees are transported for free from the station to a variety of foreign countries.
Since train services from Ukraine will continue on a regular basis, the number of refugees is expected to surpass 600,000 in a short period of time.
Mert Ürkmez