Anna Liminowicz

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused widespread human suffering and destruction across the country. It also led to the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, and a remarkable outpouring of support.

In the first weeks of the war more than one million people left Ukraine and most headed to Poland. Cities, towns and villages all along the Polish border soon became overwhelmed with Ukrainians seeking safety. And because of the Ukrainian government’s decision to ban adult males from leaving the country, the vast majority were women with children.

For the people fleeing the conflict there was no escaping the heartbreak of leaving their family and home behind.

The selection of photographs shows the many facets of that anguish; from the little boy travelling with mother in a car marked “children” to the loneliness of a people waiting hours in the train station, the fear of Africans caught up in the fighting and the grandfather who got his grand daughter to safety in Radymno ( Poland ). Only to bid them a tearful goodbye as he returned to Ukraine to stay with his wife.

These are the first weeks of harsh decisions of people who have fled the invaded Ukraine.

The selection of photos was taken while working for The Globe and Mail with correspondent Paul Waldie.