Editorial: How we all can help people fleeing the war in Ukraine

An elderly man walks outside an apartment block which was destroyed by an artillery strike in Kyiv yesterday as fighting intensified around Ukraine's capital. Photo / AP

When war suddenly shatters a country, citizens face crucial choices - stay or go, fight or flight?

As people around the world are seeing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there's no easy option.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians decided to head to neighbouring countries as soon as fighting began three weeks ago. And the river of refugees has become a tsunami.

Leaving involves taking a gamble on an uncertain path as a refugee, hoping for help from friendly strangers and benign governments. And not knowing what the long-term outcomes will be, whether there will be any chance of returning home.

For many it has meant families being split. There have been reports of fathers saying goodbye to children as their partners take the youngsters to safety. Other family members have been unable to flee. On late, packed, trains out of the conflict zone, treasured items and loved pets have had to be left behind.

Those who decide to stay because they don't want to leave their homes and home country face possible death, injury, constant fear under artillery and missile bombardment, and a worsening humanitarian disaster.

New Zealand is far away from where the horrific events are unfolding, but distance hasn't stopped countries around the world providing help or registering protests with Russia over the war.

The Herald is combining with World Vision for an appeal to help Ukrainian women and children flee to safety in what is considered the world's most serious humanitarian, political and security emergency since World War II.

World Vision's Brianna Piazza has been writing about the exodus of people from the Ukraine-Romania border.

People can donate via worldvision.org.nz to get vital supplies to families affected by the conflict.

According to the donation tracker on the Herald's website, more than $400,000 has been raised in the appeal.

At this stage of the war, it is hard to know how long it could go on for. Thousands of soldiers and civilians are believed to have died.

Talks have been under way between Russia and Ukraine, even as attacks intensify on suburbs of the capital, Kyiv.

With Ukrainian forces generally making progress slow for the Russian military, Moscow would want to avoid urban street-by-street fighting in the major centres - and that's meant a heavy reliance on pulverising weaponry. Hospitals, schools and apartment buildings have been struck.

The type of fighting and the mass displacement of people recall the Syrian war.

Although a lot of attention over the years focused on some refugees from that conflict making dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean in flimsy boats to Europe, most people have been helped in neighbouring Middle Eastern countries, such as Jordan and Iraq.

That same process is happening now with Ukraine. Of its near neighbours, Poland has taken in the most refugees - 1.7 million - so far. The United Nations estimates that 2.8 million people have left Ukraine. A further 1.85 million people are displaced within the country.

Other neighbours further afield are helping. Ireland, for instance, has said it will take in about 100,000 refugees. Britain has launched a host family scheme.

New Zealand will be able to help out by taking some Ukrainian refugees. For now, urgent assistance to help those escaping an unwanted war is desperately needed.