蜜芽传媒

More than a million Ukrainian civilians from Mariupol and other war-ravaged towns in the east of the country have been transported over the border into the territory of their country鈥檚 enemy, Russia. The authorities there have dispersed them into a chain of 鈥渢emporary accommodation centres鈥� across Russia, some of them thousands of miles from Ukraine. Russia claims it鈥檚 rescued the refugees 鈥� and says some want to build new lives with Russian citizenship in places as far away as Vladivostok, on the Pacific Ocean. But many of the Ukrainians are trying to avoid or leave the accommodation centres, and get out of Russia 鈥� and they鈥檙e being helped by a network of volunteers inside and outside the country. Ukraine says many of the 鈥渆vacuees鈥� have been forcibly deported to Russia against their will 鈥� and they鈥檙e being subjected to a form of slavery in sealed camps. Tim Whewell talks to refugees in Russia 鈥� and others who鈥檝e managed to leave the country 鈥� to try to find out what鈥檚 really going on.

Image: A temporary accommodation centre for evacuees, including residents of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, in the building of a local sports school in Taganrog in the Rostov region, Russia on March 17, 2022 (Credit: Maxim Romanov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)