More Crimean Tatars evacuated from Ukraine after Russia’s invasion arrived in Turkey early Thursday.
Kırklareli Deputy Governor Mehmet Faruk Saygın and other local officials greeted the group of 209 people, which included 98 children, at the Dereköy border gate in the northwestern province with flowers and toys for the children.
The National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) was also on standby at the border, caring for children who were not feeling well after their arduous journey.
Lenara Kadji, who traveled from Ukraine, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they are relieved to be in Turkey and thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other officials for their evacuation efforts.
“We are heartbroken. Our relatives stayed in Crimea, as they cannot come out now,” she said.
The refugees who do not have a place to live will be accommodated in designated guesthouses by the Kırklareli administration.
The first group of Crimean Tatars who were evacuated from Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion arrived in Turkey on Tuesday.
The international community has been outraged by Russia’s war on Ukraine, with the European Union, United Kingdom and the United States imposing a slew of economic sanctions on Moscow.
Russia was further isolated after its planes were barred from flying in European, American and Canadian airspace, and a number of its banks were kicked out of the international banking system SWIFT. -Agencies
