Government spokesman Piotr Müller said on Thursday that if refugees from Ukraine arrive in Poland, they will be given care. He stressed that the baseline scenario is supporting Ukraine in the defense of its borders, but it is also known that armed conflict situations can result in displacements of people.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Paweł Szefernaker that in the coming hours in the Lublin and Podkarpackie provinces, at the Polish-Ukrainian border, there will be eight reception points for refugees from Ukraine.

Szefernaker emphasized that in the case of an influx of Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression, the government prepared a scenario based on the crisis management plan. “We have been implementing the first assumptions of this plan since the early hours of the morning”.

The deputy minister added that the voivodes, from the early hours of the morning, have organized reception points providing food, medical assistance and information for refugees.

Russia has launched an invasion of Ukraine. On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, Polish time, President Vladimir Putin announced the commencement of the military operation. According to local media, all major Ukrainian cities, except Lviv, are currently under attack.

During the press briefing, the government spokesman was asked if Poland was prepared for the wave of refugees from Ukraine. Müller noted that such preparations have recently been undertaken, but the first, baseline scenario is supporting Ukraine in defending its own borders. Poland is providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as armaments to defend the Ukrainian borders.

Due to military operations in Ukraine, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against any travel to this country. Polish citizens staying in Ukraine should leave its territory immediately.

The government spokesman informed that Polish diplomatic missions in Ukraine will function as long as possible. At the same time, he emphasized that everything depends on the development of the situation in Ukraine.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński