Ukrainian families continued to arrive in Turkiye through border gates in Edirne and Kirklareli provinces on Saturday as Russia’s military operations entered a third day.
Olena Ozdogan, who came to Turkiye with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchild, said Russia’s attack started right after she went to visit her son and daughter-in-law in Ukraine. She said they were happy to arrive in Turkiye.
Leaving their loved ones behind, Ozdogan was overwhelmed with tears. “War is very difficult. I left my mother and father behind in Ukraine. My heart is searching for them every minute. My heart is aching,” she said. “People are dying. It’s so terrifying. I have many friends in Kyiv and Kharkov.”
Dmitry Yarasova, who came to Kirklareli from Kyiv, said his family will stay in Turkiye for a while.
He said that there are close combats in some regions in Ukraine and they want the war to end.
It has been reported that nearly 200 vehicles with Ukrainian license plates have passed the Derekoy, Kapikule and Hamzabeyli border gates since Saturday.
-‘We are happy to see the Turkish flag’
Stanislav Volkav, who came to Turkiye with his daughter and son through the Hamzabeyli Border Gate in northwestern Edirne province, said cities were bombed by the Russian army and his wife’s and mother’s houses were damaged in the attacks.
“We first went to Moldova from Ukraine, where volunteers provided us with accommodation. Now we have come to Turkey. We are very happy to see the Turkish flag,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military intervention Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine.
He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy its western neighbor but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.
Source: Anadolu Agency