Frankfurt (dpa/lhe) – Traumatized people fleeing the war, sheer distress due to armed violence: After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, help for possible streams of refugees is starting in Hesse. “We now have to find out where a stream of refugees is going,” said the second state chairman of the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) in Hesse, Marcus Schönbach, on Friday of the German Press Agency. At the moment there is still a catastrophic picture. “We have the problem that there are attacks on three fronts.” Aid goods cannot be brought to Ukraine and it is still unclear whether refugees are moving towards Poland, Romania or Slovakia.
“The Hessian state government would also like to make its contribution to support and help quickly and unbureaucratically for those who have suffered from the war of aggression,” said Hesse’s Interior Minister Peter Beuth (CDU) on request. To this end, the state is in a permanent and trusting exchange with the federal government and the Ukrainian Consulate General in Frankfurt in order to also provide direct help to the more than 10,000 Ukrainians living in Hesse.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the Hessian state government is making all the necessary preparations to quickly provide care and accommodation for people from Ukraine who are looking for help. Ukrainian citizens who are currently in Hesse with a visa or a temporary residence permit can have their titles extended as unbureaucratically as possible by the relevant local immigration authorities. The Hessian district council promised the state consistent support when it came to taking in refugees from the Ukraine.
“An early assessment is extremely important,” said the first ASB state chairman and chairman of the crisis team, Ludwig Frölich. From club funds, 100,000 euros were initially provided. “We have information that people are already standing in front of the borders of neighboring countries. An ASB team could be on site next week. First aid involves field kitchens, camp beds, medical and hygiene items, fan heaters, medical and psychological care. “The are war refugees, they are traumatized.”
“The question is, what are the Russians doing, are they closing the borders?” said Frölich, speaking of a violation of international law. According to Schönbach, there are basically 30 pallets of pre-sorted material in stock. You can also buy groceries locally, since the infrastructure in the neighboring countries is intact. The current planning size assumes 20,000 to one million Ukrainian refugees.
According to the ASB, help could also be provided quickly in Germany. Experience was gained during the refugee crisis in 2015. Accommodation could be set up quickly, said Frölich.
There was also criticism of the Russian attack on Friday from science in Hesse. “Despite all attempts at interpretation, it must be noted that there is a major inconsistency in Putin’s statements. Autocratic government always includes irrational attempts to retain power,” said Professor Andrea Gawrich, a political scientist at the Gießen Center for Eastern Europe at Justus Liebig University. “We are appalled to note the military aggression by Russia,” said Tanja Brühl, President of the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU). “As TU Darmstadt, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the act which violates international law and which brings suffering and death to the Ukrainian civilian population.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220225-99-286896/3
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