Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Saturday that so far about a dozen people had arrived in Croatia from Ukraine and that Croatia had prepared its capacities for the accommodation of refugees fleeing Russia's invasion.

Addressing the press after an emergency meeting of the government and civil protection directorate, Bocinovic said that those Ukrainians arrived in Croatia “through private channels and  friends’ contacts and are staying in private accommodation.”

The minister said that today’s meeting focused on coordinating efforts for the reception of refugees, and that further activities would depend on how the situation unfolded in Ukraine.

Bocinovic said that the EU member states’ interior ministers would convene in Brussels on Sunday to discuss the developments and the accommodation of refugees.

With regard to the situation with refugees from Ukraine, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday evening that Croatia would help as much as it could and as much as was needed.

On Saturday he reiterated Croatia’s solidarity with Ukraine.

Local authorities express readiness to cater for refugees

The mayor of the City of Bjelovar, Darko Hrebak, said today that at this moment Bjelovar could receive 100 refugees.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomacevic said on Friday that the city was “absolutely ready” to accept refugees from Ukraine and that it was possible to provide them with accommodation at the hostel Loda in Skradin, which is part of the Zagreb Holding multi-utility conglomerate.

The mayor said the City of Zagreb would make a few more locations available for the accommodation of refugees, depending on the needs.

Varacdin County has also expressed its readiness to accept refugees.

Towns illuminate landmarks in blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine

In the last two days, several Croatian cities lit up official buildings and landmarks in the national colours of Ukraine as a token of solidarity.

The fountains outside the National University Library in Zagreb were lit up in blue and yellow on the evening of 24 February.

The major roundabout in the city of Pula was illuminated in Ukrainian colours on Friday evening.

The city hall of Rijeka has displayed the Ukrainian flag on the city administration’s building.