"Iron curtain" shutting in Russia, Ukrainians should leave ASAP - Vereshchuk

Currently, the Russian authorities are already setting up filtration camps on the EU border and making it difficult for Ukrainians to cross out, the official said, speaking on the issue on the air of a nationwide telethon, as reported by Ukrinform.

"I urge such people to make a decision in favor of Ukraine, and also at least to leave toward the territory of the European Union. There is already an ‘iron curtain’ over Russia, only cracks and narrow channels remain, which will allow Ukrainians and Ukrainian citizens to leave to the territory of the EU. Russia will do everything to ensure that these people who are there work and also serve - they can be mobilized into the Russian army - and then all legal paths will be severed," urged Vereshchuk.

She said that, even in the absence of a passport and other IDs, Ukrainians can reach the border of Ukraine in any way or the border of Estonia and Latvia, and call 15-48 to get help.

Commenting on the information that the Russians are already starting to set up filtration camps on the border of Estonia and are actually preventing Ukrainians who seek to leave for EU territory, the Deputy Prime Minister noted: "Not only on the border with Estonia, unfortunately, we are aware of filtration camps along the entire Russian border with other states."

In addition, Vereshchuk reported that, as of now, there are indeed cases being reported where people are held in filtration camps for weeks. However, there are even more cases where there is an opportunity to leave Russia but people don’t dare, believing that in Ukraine, they will be considered collaborators. She assured that all Ukrainians, who for various reasons ended up in the territory of the aggressor power, can always return to Ukraine and receive government assistance.