Ukrainian refugees flee to neighbouring European nations

WARSAW/BUDAPEST • Hundreds of Ukrainians fleeing war with Russia started arriving in neighbouring central European countries on Thursday, and the region braced itself for many more, setting up reception points and sending troops to the borders to provide assistance.

The countries on the European Union's eastern flank were all once part of the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact and are now members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Among them, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania all share land borders with Ukraine.

Russia has launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II.

It has fuelled fears of a massive flood of refugees fleeing Ukraine, a nation of 44 million people.

Poland called for the "fiercest possible sanctions" against Russia.

Czech President Milos Zeman, long sympathetic to Moscow, called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "madman" and Prague stopped issuing visas to Russians and ordered the closure of two Russian consulates.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has also forged good ties with Mr Putin, also condemned Moscow's actions.

He said Hungary would prepare humanitarian aid for Ukraine and was ready to receive refugees.

Ukrainians started trickling into Poland, home to the region's largest Ukrainian community of around one million and the easiest EU country to reach from Kyiv.

Dozens arrived at the normally quiet Medyka crossing on Thursday, some carrying luggage and with children in tow.

Groups of people also fled into Hungary via the Beregsurany and Tiszabecs crossings, some coming from as far as Kyiv, a Reuters witness said.

Some arrived by car, but many pedestrians were also hauling suitcases across the border.

Slovak Customs officials said passenger cars were having to wait up to eight hours at the busiest of Slovakia's three road crossings with Ukraine.

Slovakia also said it was ready to help refugees. "Please let's have compassion and understanding for them," Prime Minister Eduard Heger said.

Slovakia will send up to 1,500 troops to its border with Ukraine, and additional crossings will be set up, said Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad.

Poland was preparing a medical train to transport wounded Ukrainians and drew up a list of 1,230 hospitals that could admit the injured, the Health Ministry said.

The Polish army raised the level of preparedness of some units.

"We will do everything to ensure that every person who enters the territory of Poland has access to healthcare, including hospitalisation," the ministry said. Poland set up reception points for refugees near border crossings.

Hungary has also said it will send troops to its border to help process refugees.

Governor Rostislav Trnka of Slovakia's eastern Kosice region told Reuters that around 2,000 beds and some 60 gyms had been prepared to house refugees.

A Polish government spokesman said Polish diplomatic missions in Ukraine would remain open "as long as possible", but the Foreign Affairs Ministry urged all Polish citizens to leave Ukraine.

Hungary also said its embassy in Kyiv remained open.

The Czech Republic closed its Kyiv embassy, but its consulate in the west Ukrainian city of Lviv remained open.

German media has cited estimates that between 200,000 and one million people may flee to the EU from Ukraine.

REUTERS