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[[As Russian tanks rolled into eastern Ukraine a year ago, millions of Ukrainians fled to Poland. Many came by foot through the Medyka border crossing – where aid agencies mounted a huge emergency response. Twelve months on, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell returned to Medyka to see what has changed – and how authorities are preparing for a possible new wave of refugees.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptUKR 1YR Poland Refugee Preparations
HEADLINE: Calm Returns to Poland-Ukraine Border Prepared for New Wave of Refugees
TEASER: 40 per cent of Ukrainian refugees came through small Polish city of Przemyśl, where humanitarian hubs are well stocked for any new emergency
PUBLISHED AT: 02/22/2023 at 8:20AM
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Medyka, Poland
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bowman, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:38
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: VPKGF
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[As Russian tanks rolled into eastern Ukraine a year ago, millions of Ukrainians fled to Poland. Many came by foot through the Medyka border crossing – where aid agencies mounted a huge emergency response. Twelve months on, VOA’s Henry Ridgwell returned to Medyka to see what has changed – and how authorities are preparing for a possible new wave of refugees.]]
((NARRATOR))
Danil’s short life has been turned upside down by Russia’s invasion. He and his mother, Julia, fled Kyiv a year ago. They stayed in Dnipro – but were forced to flee again as the city came under attack – and have just arrived at the Polish border town of Medyka.
Now they have a new plan. Julia’s new partner is a truck driver. They will live with him in the truck as he drives around Europe.
((Julia Tenchuk, Ukrainian Refugee (in English) ))
“It's not so bad because it's very warm and we have a little electricity. And it's very interesting for my son. I have a three-year-old son, and it's not so bad. It's really safe for us.”
((NARRATOR))
Polina Osadcha helps look after Danil. Osadcha is a refugee who now works for the United Nations at this reception center at the Medyka border crossing. She says Ukrainians are adapting to the war.
((Polina Osadcha, UNICEF Worker and Ukrainian Refugee (in English) ))
“When there were these problems with blackouts, for the first time all the people were stressed, shocked, what to do? But now they have generators. They have power banks.”
((NARRATOR))
Britons Mo Hornik and Mikey Stewart-Richardson are from the MAD Foundation charity – which takes aid into Ukraine and refugees back to Britain. But today they have a feline passenger.
((Mo Hornik, MAD Foundation (in English)))
“This little guy's owner has been living in the U.K. for a little while and was really desperate to be reunited with his mum. So, we have helped organize some transport. It's more important than ever almost, that people remain aware of the situation in Ukraine. I think a lot of people may feel a little bit fatigued by the news that they see, but the situation is still very, very desperate.”
((NARRATOR))
At the Medyka crossing, much has changed in a year. At the start of Russia’s invasion, up to 30-thousand refugees poured across this frontier every day.
Now only a few hundred cross the border daily. Soup kitchens have been replaced with cell phone stalls. Buses quickly take the Ukrainians away from the border.
The mayor of Przemyśl city, a few kilometers from the frontier, recalls the chaos of a year ago.
((Wojciech Bakun, Mayor of Przemyśl (in English) ))
“Forty percent of all refugees from Ukraine crossed this city. So it's a huge amount of people crossing such a small city. A lot of them also very hungry, thirsty. You know, some of them need some medical assistance, medical help.”
((NARRATOR))
A former supermarket in Przemyśl has been turned into a humanitarian hub. The warehouse stores huge volumes of food and drink, medical supplies, beds and blankets.
There are fears that a renewed Russian offensive will create a new wave of refugees.
((Wojciech Bakun, Mayor of Przemyśl (in English) ))
“We have all that logistics system ready to expand. We have still a lot of beds stored in schools, things like that, so we are ready for that situation again. But hopefully that situation will not happen again.”
((Henry Ridgwell, For VOA News (standup version))
“Russia's invasion brought millions of refugees to Poland and large-scale land warfare to NATO's doorstep. Twelve months on, with little sign of an end to the conflict, all sides are preparing for a long war.”
((Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, on the Poland Ukraine border.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Medyka, Polan
Embargo DateFebruary 23, 2023 17:32 EST
Byline((Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, on the Poland Ukraine border.))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
