With evacuations by hundreds of thousands of desperate civilians in Ukraine expected in coming days, it comes as little surprise that employers in electronics and other sectors are stepping up to help.
Immediately after a major Russian military attack on Ukraine early Thursday local time, families with children and the elderly rushed to borders to escape missile and rocket fire in several large cities including the capitol of Kyiv. The Ukrainian government has prevented men ages 18 to 60 from leaving to help defend the country of 40 million.
“We are following the developments with great concern for those impacted,” a Siemens spokesperson told Fierce Electronics on Friday. “The safety and well-being of our employees is a priority for Siemens. The company has taken appropriate measures to ensure this.”
The company operates several locations in Ukraine with workers numbered in the low hundreds. International staff had already left last week.
Siemens has international headquarters in Munich, Germany, with operations in a broad number of electronics segments globally and workers numbering more than 300,000.
A smaller company, SiTime, based in Santa Clara, California, was also directly affected by the attacks. “We are tracking the situation in Ukraine and are concerned for our team there,” the company said in a statement shortly after the attacks began to explain a delay in an expected product launch.
SiTime makes a wide variety of electronics, including oscillators, remote sensors and other products.
The full scope of the expected Ukrainian refugee crisis is unknown.
The United Nations estimated on Thursday that 100,000 Ukrainians had been displaced by the invasion, a number that soared to 368,000 early Sunday. The U.S is also seeking $1 billion in donations for Ukraine relief. The total number of refugees could grow to 1 million to 5 million, although it is unclear whether they will moving out permanently or for short-term . Neighboring Poland is planning to accommodate up to 1 million Ukrainians.
Editor’s Note: There are many reputable organizations accepting online financial donations to help families fleeing violence in Ukraine, including CARE, a non-governmental organization founded in 1945. CNN has organized a list of others providing assistance in various ways as well.
RELATED: Ukraine war could hurt supplies of neon, palladium needed for chips