More than 1.5 MILLION flee Ukraine amid Russian invasion
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작성자 Leonard 조회조회 7회 작성일 23-09-16 16:07본문
The Russian has triggered a mass exodus of civilians scrambling to escape what is the first major armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War.
The reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities.
But many of the women and children desperately trying to flee the wrath of Russian President are now facing another horrific threat.
Police and aid workers in have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland.
The criminals are offering unaccompanied women and children promises of safe accommodation and free transport, posing as good Samaritans to lure them away from the safety of official checkpoints.
It comes as European Union officials expressed concerns on Saturday that as many as seven million people could cross into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in the coming months, which campaigners say will create a 'disturbing spike in human trafficking'.
The United Nations reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities (refugees from Odessa pictured in Athens)
Refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, form a line as they approach the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
Police and aid workers in Poland have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland (Refugees, mostly women with children, rest inside a tent after arriving at the border crossing, in Medyka, Poland on Sunday, March 6, 2022)
A refugee woman sits alone by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, on Sunday March 6.
There are reports that unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers as they cross the border from Ukraine into neighbouring countries
Poland has become the main destination for Ukrainian refugees looking to escape amid the Russian invasion. As of Saturday, it was clear that over 1 million refugees had fled, but the United Nations today announced that over 1.5 million people are thought to have crossed the border into neighbouring countries
The United Nations today declared the mass exodus of more than 1.5 million people from Ukraine as Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II'.
Close to one million of these refugees have fled to the north-west and crossed into Poland - but despite the best efforts of police and aid volunteers along the border, unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers eager to profit from the crisis.
Tom Bell, a British aid volunteer working at Poland's Medyka border checkpoint just 50 miles from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, told the Telegraph: 'A lot of desperate Ukrainians are getting picked up in a car by someone they've never met and don't know.
'The police have put me and other volunteers here on alert Мультики онлайн без регистрации GidOnline - w.gidonline.lu they want us to check people's IDs to see who they are if they're picking up younger women, and for kids.
'We've been told it's a sex trade thing.'
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Ukrainian woman told MailOnline: 'I heard from a friend who crossed into Poland and told me she went with a guy who said he would take her to Warsaw for free but when they got there he asked for money.
'He got aggressive with her but he didn't get physical just saying he owed her the money and would have to pay her by working for him.
'She started shouting and managed to run away as people were watching.
We are spreading the word among people to be careful.'
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Although there is a consolidated effort by police and humanitarian groups offering shelter and supplies to new arrivals in Poland, the sheer number of people flooding across the border makes it impossible to prevent criminal gangs and individuals from preying on vulnerable refugees.
A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities.
'We are concerned about the exploitation of children and women coming over the border,' the source said.
'We know of a few examples of people who have tried it, and some people have been arrested already.'
Lauren Agnew, human trafficking policy expert for the charity CARE, told MailOnline: 'The war in Ukraine will create a worsening situation in terms of human trafficking.
'It will have a vulnerable domino effect across Europe and refugees are at an increasingly high risk of exploitation.
'It is certain that as time goes on we will see a spike in numbers caused by refugees being exploited by traffickers and ending up potentially as sex workers, involved in criminal gangs or forced labour and domestic slavery.'
'These gangs prey on the precariousness of refugees and the war is a business opportunity for them to make a profit and get people into Europe and ultimately the UK.'
A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities (Ukrainian families are helped by volunteers as they arrive into Poland, at the Medyka border crossing, March 6)
The number of people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine has topped 1.5 million, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War II, the United Nations said on March 6, 2022
A refugee woman sits by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
Ms Agnew explained how one method for gangs to exploit women was to offer them 'free transport' to other locations only for them to later order them to hand over money to pay for the trip which they don't have, forcing them into debt and leaving them in their hands.
She added: 'Human traffickers will be waiting in the wings to exploit the situation in Poland, and elsewhere in countries neighbouring Ukraine.
'We have seen that the majority of people coming over are women and children, men are restricted from leaving the country, so it means this group is more vulnerable.
'They are desperate and in such a state some are willing to accept the first offer of help they get without perhaps thinking it through.'
Rafal Wlodek, an aid worker at a reception centre which has been set up in High School Number One, just over the border in the Polish town of Przemysl, said: 'We have had reports of people picking up refugees and offering to take them elsewhere in Poland but instead they have end up in secluded spots and ordered to pay 1000 Zloty (£200) or be dumped.
'There is no doubt that people are taking advantage of the situation so that's why we are compiling a trusted list of people who can transport women and children because we want to avoid the situation of people being trafficked and exploited.'
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the country each day as Russian forces continue brutal bombing campaigns of several major cities (The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022)
A man helps a wounded elderly woman to a building's basement for shelter, after Russian troops shelled the area in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022
A man opens his arms as he stands near a house destroyed in the Russian artillery shelling, in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
In light of the crisis, the UK government is set to pump an extra £74 million into Ukraine to support the country's 'indomitable people' through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground.
The aid, provided through the world bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'In the time since Russia's illegal and brutal assault, we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine.
'UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support.
'While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation.'
A Home Office spokesperson also gave a statement regarding the reports of threats of human trafficking facing Ukrainian refugees.
Refugees from Ukraine rest at a temporary shelter in the main train station of Krakow, Poland, March 6, 2022
A Home Office spokesperson said that the government 'is comitted to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking,' after the UK Government announced a £74 million aid package for Ukraine. It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials
'The government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking.
We will continue to clampdown on those who continue to exploit vulnerable people while providing tailored support for victims to help their recovery,' the spokesperson said.
'We are keeping the situation in Ukraine under review and remain in close contact with the Ukrainian government.'
It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials.
Gerald Darmanin said the response of the UK is 'completely unsuitable' and shows a 'lack of humanity' towards refugees who are often 'in distress', in an open letter to Priti Patel, seen by the AFP.
He added: 'It is imperative that your consular representation, exceptionally and for the duration of this crisis, is able to issue visas for family reunification on the spot in Calais.'
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The reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities.
But many of the women and children desperately trying to flee the wrath of Russian President are now facing another horrific threat.
Police and aid workers in have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland.
The criminals are offering unaccompanied women and children promises of safe accommodation and free transport, posing as good Samaritans to lure them away from the safety of official checkpoints.
It comes as European Union officials expressed concerns on Saturday that as many as seven million people could cross into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in the coming months, which campaigners say will create a 'disturbing spike in human trafficking'.
The United Nations reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities (refugees from Odessa pictured in Athens)
Refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, form a line as they approach the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
Police and aid workers in Poland have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland (Refugees, mostly women with children, rest inside a tent after arriving at the border crossing, in Medyka, Poland on Sunday, March 6, 2022)
A refugee woman sits alone by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, on Sunday March 6.
There are reports that unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers as they cross the border from Ukraine into neighbouring countries
Poland has become the main destination for Ukrainian refugees looking to escape amid the Russian invasion. As of Saturday, it was clear that over 1 million refugees had fled, but the United Nations today announced that over 1.5 million people are thought to have crossed the border into neighbouring countries
The United Nations today declared the mass exodus of more than 1.5 million people from Ukraine as Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II'.
Close to one million of these refugees have fled to the north-west and crossed into Poland - but despite the best efforts of police and aid volunteers along the border, unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers eager to profit from the crisis.
Tom Bell, a British aid volunteer working at Poland's Medyka border checkpoint just 50 miles from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, told the Telegraph: 'A lot of desperate Ukrainians are getting picked up in a car by someone they've never met and don't know.
'The police have put me and other volunteers here on alert Мультики онлайн без регистрации GidOnline - w.gidonline.lu they want us to check people's IDs to see who they are if they're picking up younger women, and for kids.
'We've been told it's a sex trade thing.'
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Ukrainian woman told MailOnline: 'I heard from a friend who crossed into Poland and told me she went with a guy who said he would take her to Warsaw for free but when they got there he asked for money.
'He got aggressive with her but he didn't get physical just saying he owed her the money and would have to pay her by working for him.
'She started shouting and managed to run away as people were watching.
We are spreading the word among people to be careful.'
RELATED ARTICLES
Share this article
Share
Although there is a consolidated effort by police and humanitarian groups offering shelter and supplies to new arrivals in Poland, the sheer number of people flooding across the border makes it impossible to prevent criminal gangs and individuals from preying on vulnerable refugees.
A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities.
'We are concerned about the exploitation of children and women coming over the border,' the source said.
'We know of a few examples of people who have tried it, and some people have been arrested already.'
Lauren Agnew, human trafficking policy expert for the charity CARE, told MailOnline: 'The war in Ukraine will create a worsening situation in terms of human trafficking.
'It will have a vulnerable domino effect across Europe and refugees are at an increasingly high risk of exploitation.
'It is certain that as time goes on we will see a spike in numbers caused by refugees being exploited by traffickers and ending up potentially as sex workers, involved in criminal gangs or forced labour and domestic slavery.'
'These gangs prey on the precariousness of refugees and the war is a business opportunity for them to make a profit and get people into Europe and ultimately the UK.'
A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities (Ukrainian families are helped by volunteers as they arrive into Poland, at the Medyka border crossing, March 6)
The number of people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine has topped 1.5 million, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War II, the United Nations said on March 6, 2022
A refugee woman sits by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
Ms Agnew explained how one method for gangs to exploit women was to offer them 'free transport' to other locations only for them to later order them to hand over money to pay for the trip which they don't have, forcing them into debt and leaving them in their hands.
She added: 'Human traffickers will be waiting in the wings to exploit the situation in Poland, and elsewhere in countries neighbouring Ukraine.
'We have seen that the majority of people coming over are women and children, men are restricted from leaving the country, so it means this group is more vulnerable.
'They are desperate and in such a state some are willing to accept the first offer of help they get without perhaps thinking it through.'
Rafal Wlodek, an aid worker at a reception centre which has been set up in High School Number One, just over the border in the Polish town of Przemysl, said: 'We have had reports of people picking up refugees and offering to take them elsewhere in Poland but instead they have end up in secluded spots and ordered to pay 1000 Zloty (£200) or be dumped.
'There is no doubt that people are taking advantage of the situation so that's why we are compiling a trusted list of people who can transport women and children because we want to avoid the situation of people being trafficked and exploited.'
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the country each day as Russian forces continue brutal bombing campaigns of several major cities (The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022)
A man helps a wounded elderly woman to a building's basement for shelter, after Russian troops shelled the area in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022
A man opens his arms as he stands near a house destroyed in the Russian artillery shelling, in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022
In light of the crisis, the UK government is set to pump an extra £74 million into Ukraine to support the country's 'indomitable people' through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground.
The aid, provided through the world bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'In the time since Russia's illegal and brutal assault, we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine.
'UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support.
'While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation.'
A Home Office spokesperson also gave a statement regarding the reports of threats of human trafficking facing Ukrainian refugees.
Refugees from Ukraine rest at a temporary shelter in the main train station of Krakow, Poland, March 6, 2022
A Home Office spokesperson said that the government 'is comitted to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking,' after the UK Government announced a £74 million aid package for Ukraine. It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials
'The government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking.
We will continue to clampdown on those who continue to exploit vulnerable people while providing tailored support for victims to help their recovery,' the spokesperson said.
'We are keeping the situation in Ukraine under review and remain in close contact with the Ukrainian government.'
It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials.
Gerald Darmanin said the response of the UK is 'completely unsuitable' and shows a 'lack of humanity' towards refugees who are often 'in distress', in an open letter to Priti Patel, seen by the AFP.
He added: 'It is imperative that your consular representation, exceptionally and for the duration of this crisis, is able to issue visas for family reunification on the spot in Calais.'
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