Ukraine: Raab defends UK's policy on welcoming refugees
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Roman Tymchyshyn has already taken about 80 people to safety, including pregnant women, disabled people and even an nine-month-old baby. He said that he was “doing everything he can” to help those in need escape his embattled homeland.
Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine has caused a massive humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of civilians dead and necessary supplies severely short in certain areas.
Two million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion, according to the UN refugee agency. EU officials have said the number could go as high as five million.
More than a million of those have crossed the Ukraine-Poland border, with the Polish Government making available £1.34billion in funding.
Mr Tymchyshyn began driving refugees in his black cab on February 28, and has since racked up 2,169 miles in his humanitarian sorties.
That is equivalent to around 300 miles a day.
He explained: “My employer is very generous and has allowed me one month’s paid leave, so I relocated to Ukraine mainly to help people evacuate.
Mr Tymchyshyn shed light on the despair of those leaving the country as it fends off a full-scale invasion by Russian forces.
He said: “Until they cross the border or reach their final destination the passengers feel frightened. But they are sometimes more relaxed when they are gathered together with different families as I form groups of random people.
“They discuss their stories and cry together about the losses or talk about their family members who have been split up.”
He added: “I am doing everything I can to help […] giving blood, looking for supplies, transporting goods through the border and fundraising.
“When you see things like this happening on your TV screen it’s one thing, but when you experience it in person […] it’s heart-breaking.
“Often children travel without parents, and yesterday we had a case when an 11-year-old boy travelled all his way from Zaporizyzya to Slovakia alone – that’s more than 1000km I would imagine.
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“Very old people are scared of the bombing and airplanes as some of them experienced World War Two […] most of them don’t talk but pray while I’m driving for two hours.”
Mr Tymchyshyn, who hails from Lviv, in western Ukraine, travelled back to the country of his birth with his wife Ulyana Vovk after war broke out almost a fortnight ago.
The pair live in Portadown, Northern Ireland, but went back to Ukraine to help others’ safe passage to a country of refuge.
The classic car enthusiast said that he chose the black cab as it was “more comfortable and spacious”, which allowed him to transport more passengers and those with disabilities.
As well as refugees, he has also taken pets across the border – including a cat, a rabbit, some dogs and a turtle.
Mr Tymchyshyn, with the help of his sister Mariya, has been fundraising to buy a second-hand SUV that can be used to evacuate injured civilians from battlefields.
The two have already almost reached their £3,000 target, and have said any further funds will be spent on essential supplies.
Mr Tymchyshyn stated that he would be willing to “take up a gun” and fight on the frontline “if needed”.
He added: “Nobody wants to go and war […] but I am proud of my country and my people.
“This fight is very unfair but I am optimistic about the situation.”
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