Thread by @MonicaLMarks

In process of trying to evacuate family members from Kharkiv today (fingers still crossed on that!) I’ve heard from journalists & combat veterans who’ve shared advice on fleeing a war zone, specifically Ukraine.

In case this helps anyone else:

🔹 Wear/ pack 3+ layers of warm clothes. Reports of ppl walking 2-3 days in freezing temps to cross borders
🔹 Don’t move outside at night. Ukraine has night curfew in place (times might vary from city to city) & ppl moving outside at night can be shot on sight even if journos

🔹Don’t spook soldiers. Do everything possible to make it obvious you’re a civilian. This can include:
✅ Wearing brightest-coloured clothing possible
✅ Walking w/ hands clearly out or raised when passing soldiers
✅ Walking at normal pace/ not running when passing soldiers

🔹If you or family member isn’t Ukrainian (i.e. holds only a foreign passport) contact your embassy in Ukraine to ask if they have staff at European border(s) who can assist you to expedite your crossing. Reports of unassisted non-Ukrainians waiting days to cross the borders.

🔹Some journalists/ media have extra seats in vehicles & might be able to help evacuate to safer city. If you have media contacts on ground in Ukraine inquire, but don’t harass. Remember media professionals are busy, often inundated & affected by human trauma of this tragedy too.

🔹Russia has not attacked trains yet in Ukraine & trains may be safer than cars as a mode of transit, though depending on your city getting to the train station could be dangerous.

🔹 If you or loved ones are in Kharkiv specifically, trains are still running during day. They’ll likely fill up fast. Exercise great caution getting to train station bc shelling has been intensifying.

Here’s tomorrow’s train schedule from Kharkiv, sent by a Ukrainian friend:

✳️ I’m still waiting to learn more crucial info, like if we’ll manage to wire them $ vis service like Western Union when (inshallah) they leave Kharkiv & arrive to safer city where banks/ transfer services may be operating. Will update when possible. Any further info appreciated.

🔊Update: My fam evacuated Kharkiv Tues. morning as Putin bombed their city center. Utterly terrifying but our relief when they boarded Lviv-bound train at Kharkiv station was incredible. They’re safely in Poland now. 🎉Continuing this thread to help others w/ more tips❤️🇺🇦✊👇

First, if you can get yourself to Lviv I can likely mobilise same network of Polish guardian angels who helped my family to help you or yours. They offer free rides to & accommodation in Poland w/ *zero* discrimination re: skin colour, nationality, etc. They are true heroes.

If you need their help getting from Lviv to Poland, DM me the following info & I will connect you:
🔹# ppl traveling
🔹ages/ genders/ passport nationalities
🔹when they want to leave Lviv

If you prefer going to country besides Poland, I can give recs but network isn’t as strong

Next, how to get to Lviv? Trains & buses still running from most cities inc Kyiv & Kharkiv (worst hit city so far & where my fam fled 2 days ago).

*If* you can get to train or bus station safely, do it. Note: men aged 18-60 might have to wait for women & children to board first

Telegram channels exist w/ specific evacuation details for most big cities. Here’s a link to the Telegram channel w/ information about evacuation from #Kharkiv:

*I don’t know Russian or Ukrainian beyond the alphabet so can’t help translate- sorry!

t.me/+vSsvEw-pfNA4N…

If you’re fleeing #Kyiv:
🔹If you have car, journalist friends on the ground have told me it’s best to go to Teremki where buses are leaving to Lviv. It’s safer to drive/follow behind a bus bc (a) they’ll take safest routes & (b) Putin has not attacked trains or buses yet

🔹Buses & trains are, to my knowledge, still leaving Kyiv for Lviv as I said, but might be crowded. Also may be difficult for men aged 18-60 years old to board. But doesn’t hurt to try *if* you can get to bus or train station safely.

🔹If you want to be evacuated from #Kyiv & don’t have a car, there’s a special evacuation form. Fill this out & someone will contact you:

forms.gle/TxL6mMmSM1SNBu…
forms.gle/ZkrzL6YkBjWMku…

Another Q many ppl have is how to send $$ to friends/fam in #Ukraine.

Miraculously my fam evacuated quickly enough & cheaply enough (via train from Kharkiv to Lviv then free ride to Poland) that we didn’t need to send $$. But everyone I spoke w/ suggested the app Wise:

Tacking whatever new bits of useful evacuation info I get onto this thread now, so forgive me for dropping new info in a more random, less organised way. Priority is getting the word out in hopes this information helps ppl.

🔴 If you are *not* a Ukrainian passport holder—esp if you’re visibly non-white, from a country w/o embassy support, or don’t have a Ukrainian green card—do the following to cross border into EU as smoothly as possible:
✅ Plan to cross border alone or in small sedan-sized group

✅ Contact me or someone else who can arrange for Polish person to drive you from Lviv into Poland (if that’s where you want to go) in small, family-sized car. Border guards may be better-natured w/ cars driven by Poles than w/ large groups of foreigners traveling on foot or bus

✅ Make sure to go through a border crossing w/ reputation for efficiency in processing non-Ukrainians. Some crossings, like Medyka, are notoriously bad esp for foreigners. Experienced networks of evacuation helpers, like that which helped my fam, will know the best crossings.

✅ Understand borders may tighten esp for non-Ukrainian nationals (could be arg for evacuating sooner vs later). Eg: Reports of #PolandBorder getting more restrictive for Syrians. My network is getting ppl through, but getting tougher esp for passports w/o embassy representation

✅ Contact your Ukraine embassy if possible to see if they have representation on ground at crossing(s) & give heads-up you’re coming
✅ Carry your Ukrainian green card if you have it (will make crossing easier!) & other identifying docs (marriage certificate, student ID etc)

One more thing re: crossings for non-Ukrainians, inc “toughest” cases (eg: Syrian w/o updated travel docs or national of African country w/o embassy rep): *Please* get in touch. My network has expertise in & commitment to providing transport & accomm ➡️ Poland in these situations