Nearly 100 Ukrainian women, children arrive in Turkey's Kuşadası

AYDIN

Some 100 Ukrainian women and children, who fled their country amid the war and took refuge in Moldova, have been airlifted to the Kuşadası district in the western Turkish province of Aydın on the Aegean coast.

They have been accommodated in hotels in Kuşadası, a famous tourist destination.

Coordinated by local non-governmental organizations, businesspeople and a tour operator in the district, efforts were launched to help the Ukrainians affected by the war.

Officials from the tour operator contacted Ukrainian women who fled their country and escaped to the Moldovan capital Chisinau.

A plane was arranged to airlift 97 Ukrainian women and children from Chisinau International Airport. They arrived at Adnan Menderes Airport at 11 p.m. on March 5 in the western province of İzmir. They were welcomed by officials of the tour operator and transferred to Kuşadası on buses, where they settled in hotels.

They will stay in the district until life in their country returns to normal. The local municipality will meet the food expenses of Ukrainian women and children during their stay.

“I still cannot believe we are in Turkey now. I am deeply grateful to those who have helped us. Women and children are suffering the most in the ongoing war in Ukraine,” 38-year-old Natali Vandysheva said.

Yulia Parno, 29, who fled to Chisinau last week with her two-year-old daughter, said she feels safe in Turkey but is concerned about the safety of her relatives who are still in Kiev.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians who live in Kuşadası gathered in a district square to protest the war.

They held signs that read “Stop Russian Aggression” and “No war in Ukraine.”

“We want this war to cease immediately. Russia is killing people…soldiers and civilians indiscriminately,” said Olena Burgaç, deputy head of the Kuşadası Ukrainian Cultural Association, reiterating the Ukrainian people’s determination to defend their countries.

She added that they launched an aid campaign to help those affected by the war.

Non-governmental organizations in Kuşadası and locals also attended the anti-war protest.