Ukraine's Reintegration Minister says it's possible to leave Russian-occupied territories through Sumy Oblast and Belarus
There are two humanitarian corridors in Sumy and Volyn oblasts through which Ukrainian citizens can get to Ukraine from the Russian-occupied territories.
Source: Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine’s Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Quote from Vereshchuk: "Kolotilovka-Pokrovka [humanitarian corridor in Sumy Oblast – ed.] is a tiny stream of opportunity, and people are coming. Something like 150 people cross the border in a day, during daylight hours. But that's only for entry. Our borders with the Russian Federation are closed for exit. We let our citizens in, but, of course, we have no cooperation with the enemy and the occupiers."
Details: She added that another humanitarian corridor operates in Volyn, on the border with Belarus. People leaving the temporarily occupied territories through Belarus can get to Ukraine through the Domanove-Makrany control point.
Vereshchuk said the corridor in Sumy Oblast had been out of operation for some time since the Russians had blocked its work, but it had recently resumed operations.
A place where people may temporarily stay has been set up in the nearest settlement to the crossing point. There is a place to eat, drink, clean up, an ambulance and a free bus or minibus to take people to the city of Sumy.
Vereshchuk says a compact settlement for 100 people has been established in Sumy, where they can spend the night. A train leaves for Kyiv at 06:47, where people are picked up, given financial assistance and given the opportunity to either settle in Kyiv Oblast or travel further.
Background:
- Earlier, Andrii Demchenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service, said that since February 2022, over 18,000 Ukrainian citizens have come back to Ukraine from different areas, including through the closed border with Russia and Belarus.
- Demchenko said Ukrainian citizens are coming back from the occupied territories through these checkpoints.
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