Countries bordering Ukraine have set up reception centres in anticipation of an unprecedented influx of refugees fleeing the country.
Long queues of vehicles were lined up at Ukraine ’s longest frontier with Poland this morning, after thousands arrived in cars and on foot.
Most of those fleeing were carrying only suitcases stuffed with all the possessions they could take. The majority were women, after men aged 18 and over were reportedly forced from their vehicles to be conscripted into the Ukrainian armed forces to help defend the country against Russian troops.
There were similar scenes in Hungary, which also shares a border with eastern Ukraine.
Families with children, exhausted and confused after the long journey, were among the tearful Ukrainians forced to run from their homes, leaving behind husbands and brothers who had to join the nation’s reserve forces.
Some of the arrivals had arranged lifts through car-sharing alerts on social media, which were being used by those without their own transport.
It is feared as many as five million Ukrainians could become refugees as Vladimir Putin ’s forces surround key cities like the capital Kyiv.
Poland has said it will open nine reception centres along its 300-mile border with Ukraine. Pictures showed people being given hot drinks as they arrived.
US forces have started operations to help refugees in the eastern Polish city of Rzeszow, 30 miles from the border.
Similar plans are being made in Slovakia, Romania and Moldova, which also border Ukraine.
