32 more Turkish nationals evacuated from Ukraine

EDIRNE, Turkiye

A group of 32 Turkish nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine as war rages on in the country.

The group which crossed the border to Turkiye's northwestern Edirne province included an infant, an employee of Ankara's Embassy in Kyiv, and Cuneyt Esmer, Ukraine coordinator of the state-run charity Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

"Thank God, we made out alive. However, there is a huge humanitarian crisis there, there is a war. People, women, children, and babies are the victims, they are in shelters," Esmer said.

He also noted that Turkiye was not only assisting its citizens in Ukraine but also extending a helping hand to the people of Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Ahmet Cilekci, a student, said they left Kyiv a week ago and were finally in Turkiye after a long journey.

"...We are glad to be here, we are free. May God help those left behind... Children and elders were the victims. I do hope that the war will be over soon and we see a more beautiful and freer Ukraine," he said.

He added that the war has taken a heavy toll on the children living in shelters.

"Those were truly stressful times," he said.

"We want to rest as we are tired. For the past four, five days, we slept in the woods, anywhere we could," he added.

Also, 47 Azerbaijani citizens evacuated from Ukraine entered Turkiye.

"The situation there is really bad and complicated. People are fleeing, it has been a long journey. Turkiye has helped us a lot, provided us with food and other needs," said Mehmedov Elmeddin, one of the evacuees.

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.

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

* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas