Army of volunteers get people safely to Poland
AN underground network of more than 1,000 volunteers is helping to transport Ukrainians across the border into Poland.
A salesman named Sergei told the Sunday Mirror how he has helped 50 innocents escape Russia’s rockets and bombs. He spoke to us moments after kissing his girlfriend Julia goodbye as she set off to rescue her parents.
Sergei said: “We’re trying to get as many people as quickly as possible because we’re worried Poland and other countries could close their borders.”
Sergei, whose home city of
Chernihiv has been heavily bombed, was on holiday with Julia in Abu Dhabi when war began.
He is keen to return to Ukraine to help protect the country but knows that if he does, he will have to stay as men of fighting age cannot leave.
Sergei also believes he can make more of a difference to the war effort by using his skills in Poland.
Speaking on condition we don’t use his full name, Sergei said: “I’m helping to organise things from here. We’re using encrypted apps to communicate and organise routes and methods for people to get out.
“We’re worried the Russians could infiltrate it but we’re taking precautions to stop that and to ensure no sensitive information is publicly shared. We need to help because there are not enough police, army and territorial defence staff to do this at the same time as fight.”
After saying farewell to his partner, he said: “Julia has gone to Lviv to help her parents and others get out. They’re afraid of being killed during the journey. She is very brave.
“It is very dangerous now. Civilians are being shot at by the Russians while trying to drive their cars to escape and there are lots of bombs and mines.
“People write ‘Children’ on their cars, but that isn’t stopping Russians firing on them.”
According to the UN refugee agency, more than 1.5million people have fled Ukraine. At least 800,000 have crossed to Poland.
Thousands more, including children wrapped in blankets over their coats, arrived here yesterday as snow fell and temperatures plummeted.
Among them was IT recruiter Natalya Nikucuna, who arrived in the border village of Medyka with her mum and their Pomeranian dog Bonita after a 30-hour journey from Kyiv.
She told how her nephew, his wife and their eight-year-old son had been shot at by the Russians while driving out of the capital. Natalya, 31, said: “Thank God he put his foot on the accelerator. Russians are on the roads, killing people.”
She added: “We managed to get a taxi to the train station. It was catastrophic with bombs going off nearby and people fighting for seats.”
Olena, 30, was also among the people who made it safely from Ukraine to Poland.
She arrived with kids Camila, six, and Timuz, one. Her husband Dima, 30, whose parents were both born in Russia, was forced to stay behind and fight Putin’s invaders.
She said: “Ordinary Russians are innocent in this, but the Russian Federation is a nightmare.”
British Embassy told us to fill out application forms, which were rejected. And they have been told they need to apply for other countries.”
The relatives Victoria wants to help are her cousin Valentina, 75, her daughter-in-law Maiia Magda, 46, Maiia’s son Glib, 12, and her mum Ekateria Pergat, also 75 and disabled.
Maiia’s husband stayed in Ukraine to fight the Russians.
The terrified family, from the shelled Energodar region, travelled for four days to reach France.
Victoria said: “Valentina is so distraught and depressed. We couldn’t open the windows on the drive as she was terrified someone would shoot at her. She and Ekateria still think they are being attacked. They have lost everything. They travelled across Europe with one sock between them and one piece of underwear. That’s all they had when they got to the border.
“Their whole lives have fallen apart.” Care4Calais is helping the family appeal the visa rejection. There are around 130 Ukrainians at the Centre Europeen de
Sejour in Calais. More are expected. But our strict entry criteria only applies to parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings of British residents.
A Government scheme to allow refugees in if they can get sponsored by an individual or organisation is not up and running.
Boris Johnson committed to taking 200,000 refugees. But other European countries have acted faster and pledged to take in many more.
Ms Cooper last night said: “Families who have fled the Russian bombardment and are desperately trying to find sanctuary with relatives here should not be ending up stuck in Calais because of the Home Office.
“This is shameful. Priti Patel needs to explain this disgraceful situation. People need help now.”
The Home Office said the sponsorship route is “opening soon”. But they could not tell us when it will start.
Meanwhile Ukrainians working here as fruit and veg pickers are panicking over confusing changes to their visas. They have been extended but the pickers can only work for the farmers who sponsored them – who may not extend their contracts.
The Work Rights Centre charity said: “They’re basically stranded.”