Refugees arriving at the reception center will be provided with information as well as issued an Estonian personal identification code and, if requested, a temporary residence permit, the Police and Border Guard Board  (PPA) said in a press release.

Those staffing the reception center will also determine what kinds of assistance a refugee may need, and first aid will also be administered to those who need it.

After they are processed, the refugees will then be taken to temporary accommodations throughout Southern Estonia.

The previous reception center in Tartu, located at Raadimõisa Hotel on the northern edge of the city, will remain in use as an accommodation center. Services previously offered at the hotel, as well as several new services, are now available to refugees at the new refugee center next to Lõunakeskus.

The Estonian state opened its first reception center in Pärnu last Monday. All refugees arriving in Estonia via the country's southern border are now being directed to either the Tartu or Pärnu reception center upon crossing the border, which will allow Estonian authorities to provide them with the necessary care, processing and accommodations more quickly and efficiently.

As of Monday, a total of 24,610 refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine have arrived in Estonia since February 27, according to official PPA figures (link in Estonian). This total does not reflect those considered in transit via Estonia.

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