All hands on deck, All eyes on Ukraine
With the war in Ukraine reaching its third week, over 1.2 million people have so far crossed the border into Poland. Some will remain in Poland for now, or move further towards other countries further west in Europe.
Meanwhile, Polish society has mobilised itself to the fullest, providing transport, food and essential items, as well as temporary housing and offers of work as well as all kinds of further support.
Civic society groups and NGOs are essentially managing a humanitarian crisis, with the number of arrivals increasing on a daily basis.
In this week’s episode, we get valuable insight from Dr Olena Babakova, an independent Ukrainian analyst and commentator who has lived in Poland for almost 20 years. We spend a few words on the war, what this means for Ukraine and the region, and how Poland has reacted to the wave of refugees.
We also hear from Marzenna Reyher, who manages a family-run bed and breakfast near Lelów some 50 km east of Częstochowa. Like thousands of Poles nationwide, she’s opened up her accommodation to those fleeing conflict.
