By Jiri Skacel

SNINA (Slovakia) – As Russian missiles pounded Kyiv’s capital, many people waited for hours to cross the border at congested crossings.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, most people crossing were children and women.

Iryna (36) and her mother, Iryna (44) set off on Thursday from Kyiv with their two little girls, 2 and 4 years old, before they crossed into Ubla (Slovakia)

On Friday, she stated that her husband was no longer there to support the government. “We pray to Ukraine, and I wish everything would be okay,” she stated.

According to Polish media, some people had to wait 16-18 hours in order for them cross the border into Medyka (southern Poland) in frigid temperatures.

Officials at the border claimed that 29,000 persons had crossed into Poland from Ukraine Thursday. It was not known if they were returning to their homeland as war refugees or just foreigners.

Poland’s deputy interior minister Paweł Szefernaker said Ukrainian bus drivers were unable to drive across the border as conscription-age men were being held back in Ukraine.

Michał Mielniczuk, a spokesman for the southern Polish region of Podkarpackie said temporary accommodation was being offered to people arriving.

He told PAP that the vast majority of them continue to move on to Poland’s other parts after having been served warm meals.

BLOOD DONATIONS, MEALS

A witness to Reuters said that women in northern Romania were seen crying at the border as they left their male friends behind and set off to cross into Sighetu Martmatiei.

According to local media, long queues formed when cars tried to board the ferry that crosses the Danube into Isaccea. It is a small town located between Moldovan and Black Sea.

Slovakian authorities encouraged people to give blood. They also set up 5380 beds in hospitals for NATO or army use.

In central Europe and on NATO’s eastern flank, volunteer were using social media to post messages in an effort to arrange housing for those arriving at borders.

Activism was establishing hot drinks distribution points, and veterinarians offered to care for pets.

Bulgaria began issuing travel documents to citizens living in Kyiv and sent four buses to Kiev to evacuate those who were not allowed to go.

A spokesperson for the foreign ministry said that three buses will be leaving Odessa to evacuate 130 Bulgarians. Some 250,000 ethnic Bulgarians live in Ukraine.