Ukrainian families fleeing war prefer coming to Turkiye due to its ‘safety’

By Cihan Demirci

EDIRNE, Turkiye (AA) - Those who have left Ukraine since Russia launched a war on the country continue to come to Turkiye, as they say they find it safe.

Ukrainian families driving their vehicles from the cities where they previously lived are entering Turkiye through the Kapikule Border Gate with Bulgaria.

Donald Hofferber is one of those who came to Turkiye with his wife Lilly and children Aleksandr, Michael and Anna.

The Hofferber family, who left their friends at the Bulgarian Kapitan Andreevo Border Crossing, entered Turkiye on foot with their suitcases.

Hofferber said they walked eight kilometers (nearly 5 miles) from Odessa to reach the border.

He said there were too many attacks on Ukraine.

"Helicopters attacked the bridges. Bombs fell very close to our house.

“The next day after we left our house, Russian tanks reached our house, but the Ukrainian army disabled 20 Russian tanks there,” he recalled.

Noting that they came to Turkiye because they had friends in Istanbul, Hofferber said: "I think Turkiye is safe for us. I'm thinking of staying in Istanbul for about a month.”

Lilly Hofferber could not help but burst into tears from time to time.

Another Ukrainian citizen, Aleksandr Drogov, who came to Turkiye with his family, also claimed that Russia was bombing civilian settlements.

Describing the large number of people who remained in the middle of the attack, Drogov noted: "The citizens of Russia do not know what is happening now. They believe that this is only a temporary attack.”

“They don't really know about the war because the media is very well controlled in Russia.

“My house was very close to the Polish border. People defend the cities in which they live,” he said.

He also said he will stay in Turkiye, adding he completely believes in Ukraine to win this war.

“I think that Ukraine has one of the most powerful armies. I have no doubt that we will win.

“Turkiye has been very good to the Ukrainian people in this process, and therefore we have taken refuge in Turkiye,” he added.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

Over 2,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war, according to Ukrainian authorities.

More than 874,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

*Writing by Merve Berker