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Ukrainians are fleeing to Poland, but some are returning home for their families

By Claire Harbage
Published March 1, 2022 at 12:14 PM EST
People arrive in Poland who have just crossed the border by bus from Ukraine at the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing.
Claire Harbage
/
NPR
People arrive in Poland who have just crossed the border by bus from Ukraine at the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing.

Thousands of Ukranians and residents of Ukraine are fleeing the country and entering Poland following Russia's invasion last week. Poland has set up several refugee shelters along the border. But some are returning to Ukraine to get to their families or to join the Ukrainian military and fight against Russian forces.

Kseniia Onyshchenko contributed to this report.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

A bus brings refugees to a warehouse that's been turned into a shelter.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
A bus brings refugees to a warehouse that's been turned into a shelter.
Polish civil servants, military and volunteers help organize the numerous busloads of people coming across the border from Ukraine and dropping off people who are fleeing the war in the country.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Polish civil servants, military and volunteers help organize the numerous busloads of people coming across the border from Ukraine and dropping off people who are fleeing the war in the country.
Nadir Fayzullaev from Kyiv sits at a temporary shelter in Poland after recently crossing the border from Ukraine at the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Nadir Fayzullaev from Kyiv sits at a temporary shelter in Poland after recently crossing the border from Ukraine at the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing.
A temporary shelter is set up for people who have recently crossed into Poland by bus from Ukraine near the Korrczowa-Krakovets border crossing.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
A temporary shelter is set up for people who have recently crossed into Poland by bus from Ukraine near the Korrczowa-Krakovets border crossing.
Olena Karpenko, 37, a mother of three from Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine that was hard hit by Russian bombing. Karpenko never imagined the Russians would attack her city. "Now they're bombing everything, including Kyiv and western Ukraine," she says. "They attacking us, everyday Ukrainians."
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Olena Karpenko, 37, a mother of three from Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine that was hard hit by Russian bombing. Karpenko never imagined the Russians would attack her city. "Now they're bombing everything, including Kyiv and western Ukraine," she says. "They attacking us, everyday Ukrainians."
Karpenko's children play with other kids in the temporary shelter after crossing the border into Poland by bus.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Karpenko's children play with other kids in the temporary shelter after crossing the border into Poland by bus.
People walk into Poland from Ukraine at the Medyka border crossing.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
People walk into Poland from Ukraine at the Medyka border crossing.
Oleksand Sashenko, 29, is going back into Ukraine to join the military and fight for Ukraine. He says he's scared, but fear is important to stay safe, and he believe it is time and must return home.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Oleksand Sashenko, 29, is going back into Ukraine to join the military and fight for Ukraine. He says he's scared, but fear is important to stay safe, and he believe it is time and must return home.
People carry suitcases towards the Medyka border crossing to enter Ukraine from Poland. People are returning to get to their families in Ukraine and also to join the Ukrainian military.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
People carry suitcases towards the Medyka border crossing to enter Ukraine from Poland. People are returning to get to their families in Ukraine and also to join the Ukrainian military.
Ihor Kobryn, 52, is proud to be a Ukrainian and is returning to Ukraine tto fight after spending time working as a driver in Poland.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Ihor Kobryn, 52, is proud to be a Ukrainian and is returning to Ukraine tto fight after spending time working as a driver in Poland.
Natalia Belova, 50, returns to Ukraine to get to her children. She hopes to get them and then leave as soon as possible to another EU country.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Natalia Belova, 50, returns to Ukraine to get to her children. She hopes to get them and then leave as soon as possible to another EU country.
Sergei Smushko, who is Russian, helps a woman return to Ukraine to get her children. "I'm proud for Ukrainians because they are fighting a war they didn't start. And I think we should help each other and not fight each other. Because it's a bad thing, it should not happen now and in the future. But it's happening and we should do something, that is why I'm here, no questions asked." he says.
Claire Harbage / NPR
/
NPR
Sergei Smushko, who is Russian, helps a woman return to Ukraine to get her children. "I'm proud for Ukrainians because they are fighting a war they didn't start. And I think we should help each other and not fight each other. Because it's a bad thing, it should not happen now and in the future. But it's happening and we should do something, that is why I'm here, no questions asked." he says.
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Claire Harbage