Desperation is growing Wednesday as Ukrainians rush to leave the country they love.
More than a million have fled in just the last week and some of those refugees have arrived in the Bay Area to make this their new home.
“Some of the people already arrived,” said Igor Markov of NOVA Ukraine. “A friend of mine was just at SFO meeting his parents.”
Refugee camps are popping up across the border in Poland, Moldova, and Romania, and Bay Area nonprofits like NOVA Ukraine are helping people there get here.
“We are in touch with people in Poland and Romania. As of 20 minutes ago we just created a team to coordinate legal help,” said Markov.
The type of help refugees will need when they get to America.
“My whole city is just dust,” said a refugee.
People are telling heart-breaking stories of how bombs killed their loved ones, leaving them very few options.
“It was like giving your soul to god every second,” said a refugee. “Our trains stopped in the middle of Kyiv and they were shooting and we heard bombs flying over the planes and I thought this particular moment I can die.”
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In Ukraine's major cities, an intensifying Russian assault is growing more deadly.
As many as 2,000 civilians were killed in the past week, according to Ukrainian officials.
“I want to echo the UN refugee agencies’ call to help and welcome all those fleeing conflict without regard to race or nationality,” said Ambassador Linda Thomas. “Refugees are refugees.”
In the Bay Area, help is needed.
The non-profit organizations need people to volunteer, host families and donate time and money.
It is unclear how many people will come to the Bay Area but humanitarian group organizers say they want to be ready.
