Refugees get assistance

Our country welcomes those fleeing the fighting zone in Ukraine 

We have always advocated and continue to advocate for the peaceful settlement of all conflicts. The proof is that Belarus has for the past eight years been and remains now the venue for Russian-Ukrainian negotiations.

Refugees from Ukraine reached the sanatorium in Gomel Region

 A number of meetings of delegations from Russia and Ukraine that took place in the Gomel and Brest Regions are behind. The participants failed to agree on the key points of the long-term perspective — neither of the parties is ready to make concessions yet.
Meanwhile, the situation in Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Kharkiv, where fighting is unfolding, risks turning into a humanitarian catastrophe. Since February 24th, the Ukrainian authorities have not established the proper evacuation of the civilian population. Moreover, the Ukrainian party still fails to fully implement the agreements on the regime of silence and the creation of humanitarian corridors. The only working route is Sumy — Poltava. In fact, millions of ordinary people remain hostages inside cities with no food, communications, electricity or heating.
According to the State Border Committee of Belarus, more than 700 Ukrainians crossed into Belarus since February 24th. Despite the fact that the Ukrainian border crossings do not actually work, our specialists register all comers.
Among the refugees, there are many old people, children and pregnant women. Most are residents of the border regions, but there are also those who managed to escape from the fighting zones — Gostomel and Bucha near Kiev, Mariupol and Sumy. People reach the border on foot, by bicycles and by cars. Some go to relatives, but most of the people are placed in sanatoriums, recreation centres and hotels. Their food supply is provided by public organisations and local authorities. Archbishop Stefan of Gomel and Zhlobin has taken care of one of the pregnant women — the expectant mother is the archbishop’s compatriot. “Belarusians are a peace-loving and sympathetic people. We are always ready to help citizens of any country in a difficult situation. An example is the recent cases on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border with the Jews who had not been let pass to the place of pilgrimage by the Ukrainian authorities, or refugees from the Middle East heading to the EU countries — we did not ignore anyone, all those in need got assistance, including in accommodation, food and medical care,” Feliks Yashkov, member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, Head of the Gomel Customs Service, reminds.
According to him, Ukrainians can count on real support from Belarus: they will be provided with everything necessary, helped in resolving legal issues and offered job opportunities. Applications for the allocation of accommodation for those who decide to live in our country and work in rural areas will be considered.
“At the border, the necessary conditions for unrestricted entry into our territory of those fleeing the fighting zones have been created. For example, the Gomel Customs Service has taken all measures to organise customs operations associated with imported goods and vehicles in the shortest possible time,” Feliks Yashkov emphasises.
However, there still are obvious obstacles in the work of humanitarian corridors created as agreed between the Russian and the Ukrainian parties.
“The most serious problem is the obstruction to the use of humanitarian corridors for civilians by nationalist groups. In fact, the nationalists are hiding behind the civilian population, seriously endangering their lives and health and frustrating agreements on creating conditions for their safe exit from fighting zones. It causes great concern. Belarus is making every effort so that the conflicting parties have the opportunity to agree, and, most importantly, to fulfil the agreements reached,” the senator says.


As for the possible increase in the number of refugees from Ukraine and the penetration of terrorists and other criminals into the country, Feliks Yashkov comments it as follows, “The probability of penetration into the country of various destructive elements exists not only in aggravation of situations. Of course, the relevant state bodies and services of Belarus have developed and successfully apply effective preventive methods. Therefore, our citizens do not have to worry about such things. The country’s leadership, as well as the people of Belarus advocate for peaceful settlement of conflicts. We are always ready to help, and we are very sorry for all disagreements between the fraternal peoples due to the cruel and aggressive policy pursued by Western countries.”

ON THE SUBJECT
A Ukrainian woman who experienced a terrible tragedy and miraculously survived is now in the Mozyr city hospital.
On March 5th, the woman was with her family at the dacha near Kyiv, when looters broke into the house. Her husband was killed, and she was wounded — the bullet went right through. The daughter was able to get to the Russian military who immediately came to the rescue. The victim was evacuated to a field medical station at the camp, from where transportation to a Belarusian hospital was organised.

By Anna Kurak
Photos by BELTA