On both sides of the border, our special correspondents Marie-Eve Bédard and Tamara Alteresco tell us about the journey of women and children trying to cross the border by taking several roads congested by thousands of refugees. Russians, won over by a feeling of shame, are also trying to leave their country.
Marie-Eve Bédard, in Ukraine
The point with Marie-Eve Bédard, in Ukraine
Yesterday, we took a route that we could have done in six hours. It took us 15 hours to do this trip. There are checkpoints at the border of Poland, where thousands of people are waiting with little luggage. They took with them the bare necessities after leaving their house in a hurry.
It took them several days to arrive at the border and to wait in long queues with their children, some with their pets. Several neighboring countries have lifted restrictions to facilitate their passage.
Many refugees arrive by bus and train. Only women and children are allowed to leave the country. Checkpoints are erected about ten kilometers before the border, where the men must justify their presence. They are just allowed to say goodbye to their loved ones.
These men must turn back to contribute to the resistance efforts.
A Ukrainian family, fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arrives at the Shehyni border crossing to enter Poland. The father says he and his family have been on the road for four days.
Photo: Reuters/THOMAS PETER
The city of Kiev is still resisting and the Russian soldiers are struggling to advance, in particular because of supply difficulties and logistical problems. Elsewhere, they encounter Ukrainians on their way who try to prevent them from advancing by closing roads and obstructing their way to certain strategic centers.
The situation is much more difficult in Kharkiv, which is continuously bombed. Civil infrastructures are not spared. About 20 deaths are reported. Fighting also continues near Crimea.
Tamara Alteresco, in Russia
The report of Tamara Alteresco, in Russia
In a train station in Saint Petersburg, many Russians want to leave their country.
We are far from the panic movements, but those who have the means to leave and visas for European countries can no longer fly, since the airspace has been completely closed by the European Union and the Russian authorities.
They arrive at the station with very little luggage hoping to go either to Estonia or Finland. Maybe they hope they can come back.
They say they are very affected by the situation and ask not to be identified. They want to flee a country they no longer recognize.
Russians at St. Petersburg train station trying to leave their country by bus and train after the airspace was closed.
Photo: TurnedNews.com
In Ukraine, we flee the bombs, here, we flee a climate of censorship, a country isolated on the international scene.
I feel like a German in the 40s
told us a lady who struggles to hide her pain and shame.
A young Russian man, who is also an American citizen, says he fears being forced to join the Russian armed forces to fight in Ukraine.
There is a lot of uncertainty as to how this war will end.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin disconnected Echo of Moscow, considered the only independent radio station in Russia and followed by millions of listeners.
Overnight, it became illegal to oppose this war in Russia. Those who do so openly expose themselves to reprisals and accusations of treason.
