A Ukranian woman living in Clare has spoken of her mother’s close escape their home city of Irpin, which is currenty under siege.
Some of Mariya Nikishanova’s family are among the tens of thousands of people expected to arrive in Ireland over the coming weeks.
It comes as Clare County Council says it’s been asked to use its ‘discretion’ by the Department of Housing on allocating homes to Ukrainian refugees.
Ukraine says civilians are now getting to safety from some cities besieged by Russian forces after “humanitarian corridors” were established.
Groups, including foreign students, are leaving on buses from the north-eastern city of Sumy and from Irpin, near the capital Kyiv.
But the emergency services say at least 21 people, including two children, were killed in a Russian air strike on a residential street in Sumy late last night.
The flow of people who have left Ukraine has now reached 2 million people, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
While, Poland’s Prime Minister says 1.2 million people have arrived at its border since Russia’s invasion began, with border guards processing over 140,000 new entrants yesterday alone.
Mariya Nikishanova, who lives in Ennis has been trying to help her family get to safety from their home in Irpin.
Her mother’s husband has been out of reach for two days now since phone lines went down, but she says her mother and sister have finally made it over the border to Warsaw, from where they’ll fly to Ireland later this week.
Mariya says it was a very difficult journey for her 70-year-old mother.
Ireland is expected to take in around 100 thousand refugees and so far over 4,000 people here have so far offered a spare room or vacant property for Ukrainian refugees.
The Irish Red Cross is encouraging people to pledge offers of accommodation online at redcross.ie.
Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross, Liam O’Dwyer, says those who pledge accommodation will receive a follow up phone call.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Clare believes vacant and derelict buildings in the county may need to be restored, to help house people from Ukraine fleeing here.
It comes as Clare County Council has been advised to use its ‘discretion’ by the Department of Housing when allocating homes to refugees from the war torn state, with further communication expected imminently.
Hundreds of Ukrainian nationals expected in this county alone over the coming weeks and Mayor of Clare and Independent Councillor PJ Ryan says anything that can be done to help should be done.
