Will we see home again?
TO many, they are the lucky ones. They have escaped an increasingly bloody war and are among 100,000 Ukrainians to have reached Poland.
But in the small town of Medyka there are no celebrations among the refugees, who include young children wrapped in blankets and clutching favourite teddies.
Many of the arrivals are shattered by the journey to escape Vladimir Putin’s invaders as well as the trauma of saying goodbye to fathers, husbands, brothers and sons – and their homes – possibly for the last time.
Olena Talimonchuk tightly clutched the hand of her five-year-old son, Alex, as she fought back tears, telling how she had begged her parents, both in their 60s, to travel with them from the Lviv region.
But her dad refused to abandon their treasured family home and pets, including two dogs, a guinea pig and a rabbit.
Office worker Olena, 31, said: “He started building the house with his own hands when he was aged just 18.
“I begged my mother and father to leave with us but even though my mum wanted to, my dad refused.
“There were arguments but he was determined he was staying. I’m really worried about them both.”
While safe for now, Olena fears for her son and the psychological scars he will bear. She said: “Alex was with my parents when the bombing started on Thursday and could hear the explosions.
“I’m worried how it will affect him, hoping he doesn’t fully understand. I’m trying to protect him from it as much as I can.”
Thomas, 43, pushed a shopping trolley of belongings while sister-in-law Viktoria, 28, held her one-year-old son, Michael.
Viktoria was forced to cross the border without her husband after he was ordered to return home and fight.
“He drove them from Kyiv, but was not allowed to leave with them,” says Thomas, who lives in Poland.
“I’m happy at least some of the family are here, but we all need to be together. I am worried what will happen.” Nearby,
Lilia Bokhonska, 20, hugged her mum, Ninel, 48, a maths teacher who had made the 13-hour journey from the western city of Khmelnytskyi.
Though they and Lilia’s 27-yearold brother are safe, she is terrified for friends left behind, who she says are now hiding in their homes.
“I’m keeping in touch with them on my phone and social media, but I’m really scared for them,” said Lilia, who is a student in Krakow.
“I don’t know if I will ever see them or my home again.” Another arrival, Sofia Chyryk, 26, journeyed seven hours from Lviv, with 16-month-old son Matthew.
The teacher’s husband Nicolas, also 26, was forced to stay behind.
“He knew he wasn’t allowed to leave and has volunteered to help fight if they need him,” Sofia said, holding Matthew in her arms.
“He is worried about us and I am scared for him, but he says he feels better knowing we are safe.
“If we didn’t have our son I would have stayed at home with him, but we both knew it was better for our son for us to get to safety.”
Describing Putin as “an insane man who must be stopped,” she
added: “There is still hope for the future, but we will never forgive them for this.
“I am afraid for my country, but I believe in our soldiers. They are doing a great job.
“Our people are dying and we are asking for help, but where is NATO?”.
The Polish government has opened eight reception centres along the 332-mile border with Ukraine.
Officials expect to receive at least 1.5 million refugees.
Thousands more are also heading into Moldova, Romania, Lithuania
and Latvia, with estimates as many as 5 million in total could soon be displaced.
The UN says 120,000 people have fled Ukraine in the past 48 hours.
Charities are on the ground, as are 600 British troops securing defences.
Monika Kotulk, from the Polish Red Cross, is helping at a school that now houses 60 refugees.
She said: “This is the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War Two. There is now a 24-hour wait at the border and we are seeing huge numbers of people.”
There is also huge support from ordinary Poles, who are handing out water, meat, bread, cheese and even mobile phone sim cards.
With reception centres bursting and hotels and hostels full, some are offering their spare rooms.
Drivers hold homemade signs offering free rides to cities miles away such as Warsaw and Krakow.
One volunteer, who asked not to be named, said: “We just want to help. We don’t want anything in return. These people haven’t done anything and are victims of a madman. Who knows... maybe next he will aim for us. We must stand together against evil.”