Kilometers-Long Traffic Jam In Ukraine As People Defy Curfew And Flee Russian Invasion
There is a curfew in place in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, and a ban on men aged 18 to 60 years old from leaving the country as it faces the worst external aggression in history.
This has, however, not stopped thousands of people from trying to flee the war into safer locations and neighbouring countries.
Mayor Vitaly Klitschko declared a curfew from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m., saying transport would be halted overnight and subway stations used as round-the-clock shelters because of "conditions of military aggression".
"The mood is patriotic," said a driver waiting in a huge traffic jam on a road heading west out of the city.
"I'm going away because a war has started, Putin attacked us," said Oxana, stuck in the traffic jam with her three-year-old daughter on the back seat. "We're afraid of bombardments."
Students from India also stuck
Those stuck in the traffic include students from India.
The parents of Bhumika, a medical student at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University told PTI that the students were asked to move into a nearby bunker on Friday.?
"The students are now moving towards Poland by any means they get. Bhumika got a cab and set off for the border due to the fear of attacks. She is 25 km away from the border and is now walking, because there is a traffic jam. She has got some water and biscuits with her, she told us," he said. To save her mobile phone's battery, she was only using text messages to communicate with them, he added.?
According to Polish Deputy Interior Minister Pawel Szefernaker 100,000 people have crossed the border into Poland from Ukraine since Russia's invasion.
"From the onset of warfare in Ukraine through today, along the entire border with Ukraine, 100,000 people have crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland," Szefernaker said.
He said 90 percent of the refugees have concrete places to go in Poland, such as the homes of friends or family, but that the remainder are seeking help at nine reception centres set up along the border.
The centres offer meals and medical care, a place to rest as well as any necessary information.
The head of the Polish border guard, Tomasz Praga, added at the press conference that on Friday alone nearly 50,000 people had crossed into Poland from Ukraine.
According to UN refugee agency UNHCR almost 116,000 people have fled from Ukraine to neighbouring countries like Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania since February 24.
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