UN: 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine worst post-WWII crisis
Associated PressMEDYKA, Poland — The Ukrainian father of two took off with a sprint when he saw the GPS coordinates from his wife’s cellphone draw nearer to the border crossing into Poland. “I never believed war would start,’’ Chornomordenko said, as he checked the GPS position of his arriving family. He lifted 4-year-old son David onto his shoulders, and cradled the baby, 8-month-old Sofia, in his arms, looking lovingly at the tiny face, murmuring, “so beautiful.” “I am so grateful,’' he said. The sentiments were echoed by Pope Francis, who made a powerful appeal for peace at the Vatican Sunday, imploring “an end to the armed attacks, and that negotiations prevail.” In a highly unusual move, the pontiff said he had dispatched two Cardinals to the war-ravaged country, signaling that the “Holy See is ready to do everything in the service of this peace.” “In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing,” the pope said during his traditional Sunday blessing. “The first thing that we do as servants of the Church is talk to them, help them trust again, and understand that life doesn’t end at the Ukrainian border, or any other border,” said Maghiar, who has seen many refugees come by his church since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.