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Photos show exodus of Ukrainian refugees arriving in neighboring Poland

Photos show exodus of Ukrainian refugees arriving in neighboring Poland

Erin Snodgrass

The first train with Ukrainian refugees came to Przemysl, Poland on February 24, 2022.Photo by Maciej Luczniewski/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees crossed the border into Poland on Thursday.
The country said it would open nine reception centers along its border in anticipation of more arrivals.

Hundreds of Ukrainians have begun crossing the country's western border into neighboring Poland just hours after Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine early Thursday morning.

Scenes from train stations and bus stops show crowds of travelers donning winter coats and carrying suitcases — many with young children in tow — marking the first wave of what European officials are warning could be an impending refugee crisis.

Ukrainian citizens fleeing the newfound war are flocking to Poland, whose inclusion in both the European Union and NATO offer an extra layer of security and support from military allies throughout Europe.

Fleeing Ukrainians described the hours-long wait to cross the border.

Passengers who arrived on a train from Odessa via Lviv in Ukraine to the railway station in Przemysl are standing in a line to buy tickets for the further journey. Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Fleeing refugees told The Wall Street Journal that their journeys to Poland were long and arduous.

At one border post, the outlet reported that multiple buses and minivans were crowded into a parking lot waiting to pick up Ukrainians moving on.

"It's pure chaos here. All our buses are full," a bus driver told the newspaper. "This is just the beginning. People are panicking. Most of our customers are women with children and they are very afraid."

Many are hoping to join relatives already in Poland.

First migrants from Ukraine enter Poland after Russia bombarded Ukrainian territory - Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Medyka, Poland on February 24, 2022. Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The country is home to more than one million Ukrainians.

Government officials believe another one million Ukrainians could arrive in Poland in the coming weeks.

Passengers arrived on a train from Odessa via Lviv in Ukraine to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland on February 24, 2022. Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Photographers captured emotional scenes as the first wave of refugees arrived in Poland on Thursday.

An Ukrainian mother cries after crossing to Poland as first migrants from Ukraine enter Poland after Russia bombarded Ukrainian territory Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

On Thursday, the country said it would open nine reception centers along its Ukrainian border in anticipation of more arrivals.

Preparations are underway at the reception centre for refugees from Ukraine established in Dorohusk after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in Ukraine, on February 24, 2022 Photo by JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The welcome centers will offer medical care and food, as well as a gathering place to receive information and updates, Polish officials said, according to Al Jazeera.

Some estimates suggest as many as five million people could be displaced.

Woman cry after they entered Poland from Ukraine at Polish-Ukrainian border crossing after Russia bombarded Ukrainian territory Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Even before Russia launched its assault, Ukraine's defense minister warned that a violent invasion could lead to 3-5 million Ukrainian refugees, while the US posited anywhere from 1 to 5 million people could be displaced, according to the RAND corporation, a nonprofit policy think tank.

Many appeared to be young parents, often with multiple children in tow.

Ukrainian family waits for their relative after crossing into Poland as first migrants from Ukraine enter Poland after Russia bombarded Ukrainian territory Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Other neighboring countries are also preparing to welcome scores of refugees.

As Insider previously reported, Central Europe is bracing for a possible migrant crisis following Russia's violent invasion.

Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic have all said they are making preparations.

Passengers arrived on a train from Odessa via Lviv in Ukraine to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland on February 24, 2022. Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Insider previously reported that multiple countries in the region are making fast preparations for incoming refugees.