Ask HN: How to help Ukrainian colleague to the border
An Ukrainian colleague of my wife (and at least one family member of theirs) is near Kryvy Rih (central south), and we are trying to see how to get them to Moldova which seems to be the closest border.
Communication is a bit choppy so I don't know if they have a car yet. But im trying to find maps / sites that could help to find the safest route. There is almost a straight line west. But I have no live info if this is safe. Google maps shows a southern route via Odessa etc, but that obviously doesnt take into account any of the developments. (The people helping don't speak the language) From the news reports it seems that going West and then into Poland or Romania, or Moldova North of Transnistria might be the safest option. I just realized that the border might be problematic because it runs into transnistria.
[update] Google maps was a bit unclear about Transnistria etc.
I found there is a shared border below Transnistrian space with moldova called Palanca. And there is a route to somewhat avoid Odessa over smaller roads A friend escaped with family to Poland Thursday, but they were lucky to live closer to the border (Lviv). A friend of a friend managed to escape the country by road driving west from near Kyiv yesterday, reportedly there were document checkpoints but otherwise no obstacles. It’s hard to say for sure what is safe and what is safer given the rapidly changing situation, but I know in eastern areas there already are cities from which it is apparently no longer possible to safely get out due to military. No way in or out. I am intermittently in touch with people living there. I worry about going into detail because aggressor agents may be monitoring this site. Moldova's President says on Twitter their border is open and there's a large number of Ukranians arriving, among other places, Palanca, which is I think (?) in the convenient direction, on the Black Sea. I know nothing about the Transnistria situation but there is no Transnistrian territory between Palanca and Ukraine, according to the map on Wikipedia. - "First citizens arrive in , with over 4000 crossings today. The govt has deployed temporary placement centers near Palanca and Ocnița. Our borders are open for citizens who need safe transit or stay." https://twitter.com/sandumaiamd/status/1496859315122147337 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palanca,_%C8%98tefan_Vod%C4%83 edit: also the Prime Minister's photos clearly show that crossing point is open: - "In these dark days for #Ukraine, we stand by its citizens. Visited the southern crossing of Palanca yesterday. #Moldova will assist those in need of safe transit or shelter. Вітаємо українців!" Another problem is probably going to be to get fuel.
One of the options would be to get to kiev or another city to get to a train west. But thats a danger in itself; not knowing if they will still run. prime target area, not having a place to stay.