Five buses bring 175 refugees from Kharkiv region to Russia - Defense Ministry

MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - The first five buses carrying 175 refugees from the Kharkiv region have crossed the Russian border in the Belgorod region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"The first five buses carrying refugees from the Kharkiv region have arrived on the border of the Russian Federation in the Belgorod region. There are senior citizens, disabled persons and 34 children among 175 citizens, who have arrived from Ukraine," the ministry said.

Buses provided by the administration of the Belgorod region transported the refugees from the checkpoint to a temporary accommodation center, where they received comprehensive assistance. "Everyone has been accommodated and provided with hot food, drinking water and warm clothes. Heated temporary accommodation centers with bedrooms, a canteen, psychologists and doctors are operating around the clock," the ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier on Thursday that 13 buses carrying about 300 refugees from Mariupol arrived on the Russian border in the Rostov region.

Before that, the Defense Ministry said that four convoys comprising 200 buses had been formed for evacuation of Mariupol residents. The first two buses carrying 59 refugees crossed the Russian border in the Rostov region on Tuesday. The evacuees were accommodated in Taganrog.