POLAND said today it will open nine reception centres along its border with Ukraine in anticipation of an influx of refugees after Russia invaded the country.

Fears have spiked about a refugee crisis in the region after Russia invaded Ukraine early this morning, with reports of explosions at several locations across the country.

“There will certainly be a wave of refugees arriving in our country,” Poland’s Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski told journalists.

He added that Poland would take in “as many as there will be at our borders”.

The country was setting up nine reception centres near the 535km-long frontier.

The centres would offer arrivals meals and medical care, and a place to rest and receive information.

The head of the Polish border guard, Tomasz Praga, said there had been an “increase” in the number of people seeking to cross the Poland-Ukraine border in both directions, but added the situation was stable.

Around 29,000 people had crossed the border in both directions over the past 24 hours, including 15,000 coming to Poland, Praga said. 

The UN today warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would have “devastating” humanitarian consequences and urged neighbouring countries to keep borders open to those fleeing the violence.

“We are gravely concerned about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine,” the head of the UN’s refugee agency Filippo Grandi said. – AFP, February 24, 2022.