in the largest refugee center in Dnipro, “Some people need medicine all the time”

In this former bus depot transformed into a center to help refugees, Katya comes to get the essentials. “Baby foodexplains the young woman, it was hard to find at first. Same for diapers for my six-month-old baby, but that’s the most important thing.” This family left Mariupol on February 28. Three weeks ago.

>> War in Ukraine: “How long can this last?” ask the Ukrainians who hold the southern front

Like them and to escape the advance of Russian troops, as the fighting draws closer, more than 100,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in the city of Dnipro, the exit door from Donbass and the port city of Mariupol. “We started with about fifty refugees a day, assures Kyrylo, he too fled the martyred city in the South-East of Ukraine to escape the bombardments. In this center, he helps his former neighbours. “Now we receive daily between 3,000 and 3,500 refugeescontinues Kyrylo. We are 30, 35 volunteers. 80% of the refugees come from Mariupol itself. And the others, the remaining 20% ​​are from Dnipro.”

Twenty tons of food and hygiene products are distributed every day. Rations are also sent to Ukrainian soldiers on the Eastern front and the center also provides some medicines to the most vulnerable. “Some people need medication all the time, for example for diabetes, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, those who have had a heart attackexplains Olga. A lot of people also need tranquilizers.”slips the one who was a pediatrician before the war and now manages the pharmacy.