We’ve returned to a crossing at night for one reason: it’s forecast to be -11 this eve on the border, unusually cold for the time of year and hundreds of kids are still coming through every hour. Volunteers who help run the place tell me they’re worried about how the night ahead. 
It’s “only” -6 here now so temperature much further to fall but after only a few hours we on the team can really feel it (and we’ve dressed for it). Moreover we haven’t had a traumatic journey of up to a week and been undernourished. Some of the kids are pale and look unwell.
Fortunately there are lots of volunteers on hand, providing blankets, medical care, hot food and drinks the moment families arrive. Fortunately too most stay here briefly before finding transport. Nonetheless after such a tough journey the weather is punishing, esp for kids.
Oxana and Arven just arrived from Ukraine’s east. One of the trains they were on had to pass through gunfire, some of the bullets firing into the train. Oxana said it was completely terrifying. Yesterday Arven asked her if he could play outside “or will I be bombed?”
Oxana and her son had actually started a new life in Norway until January this year. But Oxana decided she wanted her boy to grow up in Ukraine, to learn Ukrainian and learn about Ukrainian history. So they moved back. Three months later, they’ve had to flee.
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1502025205237137418
Also spoke to Ekaterina and Anastasia. They’re 25 and 21, sisters from Kharkiv. Their street was one of the first to be shelled in the city. They told me they can’t sleep properly now “even the smallest sound makes you think that you have to wake up and take cover.”
Authorities here are quickly taking kids and families from the processing centre and queue as quickly as possible and out of the cold. Nonetheless, it is a grim evening here.
It always feels odd reporting on these things, then getting in the warm car and later back to hotel room with a bed warmer still. It feels especially weird and uncomfortable tonight.
You can watch our latest piece from the humanitarian crisis on the 🇺🇦 here. More to come next week.
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1501891522928820230
And as always we try and stay in touch with people we meet, will let you know how they get on.
Again, another bitterly cold night at the border.
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