As hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine are forced to escape the escalating conflict, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is working on setting up emergency response activities in the country. We are also sending teams to Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. 

As the conflict escalates, our teams are assessing the needs of people crossing borders and are responding to humanitarian needs. We are also present in Belarus and Russia, and are ready to provide humanitarian assistance. 

In Ukraine, our teams have distributed kits to treat war-wounded people in Mariupol. We have also provided a training for trauma care, via telemedicine (remote medical care conducted via video link), for 30 surgeons from eastern Ukraine. 

Our emergency teams have arrived at the Polish-Ukrainian border and are currently trying to get essential staff and supplies into Ukraine, and set up emergency response activities across both sides of the border. Teams will also carry out assessments along Ukraine’s border with Russia and Belarus. 

With active fighting ongoing, determining the true extent of medical needs in Ukraine remains challenging. Our teams are preparing for a range of scenarios, which will allow us to step up our response accordingly. 

At the Ukraine-Poland border checkpoints we are seeing people cross over on foot, in cars and on buses, many tired and exhausted, and some with children as young as 25 days old. 

Many of those crossing the Polish border told us they spent long hours in queues in freezing temperatures. Some were dehydrated and others suffered from hypothermia. We have donated basic shelter items to a reception shelter in Poland and are working to step up our response.