Our reporters are in Moldova, a small country bordering Ukraine which is not a member of NATO or the European Union.
A heritage historian has identified more than a hundred dilapidated bunkers in Chișinău, Moldova, which could be restored with a little political will to serve in the event of a Russian bombardment. “In 60 days, we could rehabilitate them all with a minimum of financial resources. But it is not a priority for the government”, sighs Ion Ștefăniță, former director of the Moldovan agency for the inspection and restoration of monuments.
He had the Journal visit four of the 138 shelters he had been listing in the Moldavian capital for years.
old cellars
The majority of these were originally cellars built towards the end of the 18th century by merchants from Chișinău to store provisions and the famous wine of the region.
They were then converted into anti-nuclear and anti-bombing shelters ready for use in the event of force majeure, at the time of the USSR.
If the fortress in the basement of a residence could shelter a few dozen people, others welcomed up to 500. “People would have brought chairs, camp beds and would have taken refuge there between 48 and 72 hours”, specifies Mr. Ștefăniță, in impeccable French.
” A desaster ”
But times have certainly changed. “It’s a total disaster now, everything’s broken,” says the building restoration expert as he pulls the armored and corroded front door of a bunker. When our eyes adjust in the dark and our noses smelling of mould, we better understand what he means.
The pipes of the old ventilation system lie on the beaten ground, all rusty and useless. No more way to turn on a light to see more clearly.
And inventories of gas masks and medical kits are long gone.
not ready
The stone and brick structure held up, but that’s all.
“I see that we are not at all prepared…”, laments Mr. Ștefăniță, as the Russians continue to bombard Ukraine only a few hundred kilometers away.
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Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, more than 350,000 refugees have crossed its borders. The former Soviet republic may be one of the poorest nations in Europe, but its people have shown their legendary hospitality to newcomers.
Follow in photos the path taken by the thousands of Ukrainian expatriates in Moldova, from customs to bed where they can finally put their luggage for a few days – or a few weeks.
The great crossing
To the east, the war in Ukraine. In the west, peace in Moldova. The crossing of the border of Palanca, between the two countries, marks the end of an agonizing escape.
Several refugees cross it upset, after heartbreaking farewells to a son, a father, or a brother who took them back to customs.
Men of fighting age cannot leave Ukraine.
A new start
In the first few meters of Moldavian territory, there are loud sighs, frantic calls and text messages, an inconsolable woman crying on the shoulder of a customs officer.
After a few minutes, the new refugees board a minibus which will take them to a triage camp.
Direction Moldova or Europe
At the triage camp, buses of all kinds take turns to take the refugees to their destination – if they have one.
Some have the precious address of someone waiting for them or a country in mind. Others will be sent to Chișinău or accommodation camps elsewhere in the country.
Of the 350,000 Ukrainians who arrived in Moldova, 245,000 continued on their way, according to official figures.
At the refugee center
Since February 28, Ivghenia Stan, 6 months pregnant, her husband and four children have been living in a stadium converted into a center for refugees in Chișinău. They sleep fully clothed because the center is not heated and the temperature drops to -5 degrees at night. The Roma family saw their house destroyed by a bomb in Odessa, Ukraine.
In a former orphanage
Olia and Ludmila Rodoslavova, originally from Odessa, occupy the double-decker beds that once served for Moldovan orphans in Popeasca. “It’s not a 5-star hotel, but most people are grateful to be here,” says hotel manager Ion Kazaku, who relies on donations from individuals and organizations to meet their needs.
Homestay
Irina Martea hosts Ukrainian families for a few nights before they leave for their final destination, often with friends or family. Thousands of Moldovans have done the same since the refugee crisis began.
Although generous Moldovans welcome Ukrainian refugees with open arms, others have their passports and their luggage ready to flee if Vladimir Putin decides to target their country after invading Ukraine.
This report was made possible thanks to the Fonds québécois en journalisme international (FQJI).