Krisztina Than, Pawel Florkiewicz

WARSAW/BUDAPEST – Central European countries prepared on Thursday for the arrival refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. Poland established reception points along its borders, while Hungary and Slovakia plan to send troops to deal with the likely influx.

All the countries along the European Union’s Eastern flank used to be part of the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact, and now they are NATO members. The borders of Romania, Hungary and Slovakia all border with Ukraine, as do Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Russia attacked Ukraine on Thursday with a massive invasion by air, land and sea. This was the most serious attack of one country against another since World War II. The West’s worst fears were confirmed and there are fears that a flood of refugees will flee Ukraine, which has 44 million inhabitants.

Poland demanded the “fiercest sanctions” against Russia, while the Czech foreign minister labeled the invasion as a “barbaric act if aggression”.

Viktor Orban is Hungary’s Prime Minster and has established good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also condemns Moscow’s actions. He stated that Hungary will prepare humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, and is ready to accept refugees.

Ukrainians have begun to arrive in Poland from Ukraine, with many arriving at the Medyka crossing on Thursday. Some were carrying bags and others were accompanied children.

HOSPITALS ON STANDBY

According to the Polish health ministry, hospitals in Poland were providing beds for injured Ukrainians and some Polish units had been raised in readiness.

Ministry stated, “We will do whatever it takes to ensure every individual who arrives on the Polish territory has access to medical care and hospitalisation.”

Poland claimed it would establish reception points for refugees at its borders. This was according to Pawel Szefernaker (Polish Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs), PAP news agency reported.

A few people fled to Hungary from Ukraine on Thursday via the Beregsurany crossing. Some were even coming as far as Kyiv according to a Reuters witness. Many people arrived in cars, while others were walking with their bags.

Slovakia indicated that it would help refugees.

Prim Minister Eduard Heger declared, “We know with near certainty Russian aggression will drive many Ukrainian women out of their country,” Let’s show compassion and understand for them.

Jaroslav Nad (Defense Minister) stated that Slovakia is planning to send 1,500 troops along its border to Ukraine. This will allow for additional crossings. Hungary also stated that it would send troops to the border in order to assist refugees.

Polish officials said that the Polish missions to Ukraine were open for business “as long and as possible”. However, the foreign ministry advised all Poles not to stay in Ukraine.

Hungary said that its embassy in Kyiv was still open. While the Czech Republic had closed their diplomatic mission in Kiev, Lviv was still open to its consulate.

Germany provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine’s border countries. German media has cited estimates of between 200,000-one million refugees from Ukraine who may seek asylum in the EU.

FLIGHTS, TRAIN SERVICE SUSPENDED

Slovak Railway suspended services to Ukraine and Wizz, a budget airline temporarily stopped all flights into and out of Ukraine. Czech Airlines suspended all flights after Ukraine shut down its airspace.

The Slovakian news agency TASR stated that passenger car traffic flowed smoothly at another crossing while there was a wait time of up to four hours at the main border crossings.

The Czech Republic has approximately 260,000 Ukrainians, while tens to thousands of them work in Slovakia or Hungary. A large Ukrainian ethnic minority, around 140,000, lives just across the border from Ukraine.

On Thursday, President Klaus Iohannis stated that Romania was ready to provide humanitarian aid when needed. He also called on NATO to “consistently consolidate” its eastern flank.

Rumen Radev, the Bulgarian president, stated that his country is preparing for more than 4,000 ethnic Bulgarians to flee Ukraine by land and was prepared to accept other Ukrainian refugees.