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Exodus: Tens of Thousands of Ukrainian Refugees Flee to Romania, Requesting Asylum

 
 
 
 
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Tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens are on road, trying to flee to Romania at the Sighetu Marmației border. Thousands of cars seen many kilometers away are already waiting at the border for their papers to be checked. Romania ensured them that they are trying to speed up the process as much as they can but the influx is too overwhelming and many Ukrainians who are scared of their lives have sent their wives and children on foot towards the country, while they wait in the car in line until their turn comes. They do this for safety as they are scared that the column of cars could get bombed by Russia.

About 3000 or more Ukrainian refugees have also fled to Moldova which is also a Romanian land but separated from Romania because of Russian aggression in the past. It is unclear if the refugees intend to remain and settle in Moldova or simply cross through Moldova to reach Romania but given the tensions in the region with Transnistria and the fact that Moldova is not a NATO member, chances are they are using Moldova as transit to reach Romania.

The influx of refugees comes as officials in Bucharest declared on Wednesday that they are opening the doors and they are preparing to receive 500,000 refugees or even more if needed. For now, the refugees will be taken to refugee camps where they will be housed and fed for free, but plans are underway to integrate the Ukrainians into Romania permanently.

Whole families of Ukrainians came by car. Some have relatives in Sighetu Marmației and they say that they came indefinitely, because in their country there is a general panic and, among other things, it is no longer possible to pay by card according to reports. Poorer Ukrainians from nearby border villages who don’t have a car are also storming the Romanian border on foot, as they have chosen to flee the war.

Romania is now preparing to set up refugee camps in Sighetu Marmației, a city in northern Romania, near the border with Ukraine, as waves of people continue to arrive.

Ukrainians are also fleeing from Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, according to footage depicting huge columns of cars blocking the highway at the exit from Kiev. Others took the buses by storm to leave the city. Meanwhile, others have taken refuge in subway stations or are kneeling on the streets.

The Guardian journalist Luke Harding reported on Twitter from Kiev that people are queuing at ATMs. There are also queues at ATMs in Mariupol. People are also queuing at gas stations to fill their tanks for those who want to leave and food stores are also experiencing immense queues mainly for people who have chosen to stay and endure what’s to come, as martial law has been declared in Ukraine and access to food will become difficult.

Those who managed to flee today in the morning as whole families were very lucky because unfortunately now only women and minors can flee, as the Ukrainian authorities have banned men aged 18-60 from fleeing the country, as they are preparing to draft them into the military. The tweet below says 18-65 but that is incorrect. The correct maximum age for men is 60. Boys under 18 and men over 60 can still flee.

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