According to the Operational Data Portal (ODP), nearly 2.9 million refugees have fled to Russia from Ukraine. Some of them were deported, some voluntarily went to the country that started a war in their homeland. Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) promised all Ukrainians who voluntarily moved to Russia 10,000 rubles (123 francs) and that they would be protected.
The start of the war on February 24 drove a number of families apart. Guilty Ukrainians living in Russia. But those who demonstrated were arrested. “Volunteering was the only way for me to deal with the guilt,” a volunteer in Russia told the Washington Post.
As the newspaper reports, there is a network of helpers in Russia who support the 2.9 million refugees from Ukraine. In an unofficial way. After all, anyone who registers as a refugee in Russia applies for a Russian passport and receives a declaration of asylum. Then it is almost impossible to come to Europe.
The illegal route through Russia is often the only one
While this aid is not illegal, citizens who show solidarity with the Ukrainians are taking a risk. Even just criticizing “Special Operation Z” can lead to arrests. The volunteers, often people with Ukrainian roots, find hope in their work. They also want the war to end. “I wish that in 20 years I might be able to visit my parents’ graves or my siblings in Ukraine,” a volunteer who grew up in Ukraine told the Washington Post.
The illegal flight to Europe via Russian helpers is for many the only chance to return to Ukraine. “Many refugees were stripped of their identity papers or made to sign their secession from Ukraine,” writes the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In some cases, Ukrainians can only flee via Russia purely geographically. Some decide voluntarily because they are pro-Russian. But Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said “there is growing and credible evidence that those seen as a threat because of perceived pro-Ukrainian leanings are disappearing.”
«For some it is betrayal, for me it is the art of survival»
In Russia, Ukrainian refugees who escaped the war are still suffering. The Insider spoke anonymously with refugees from Ukraine in Russian cities. Upon entry, their mobile phones were checked to verify their political stance. But pro-Russian refugees are also complaining. “Nobody hires us without citizenship,” says a Ukrainian. Putin had ordered the authorities to give asylum seekers jobs. Another Ukrainian says her diplomas were not recognised.
A refugee tells how she, her daughter and her mother were welcomed with open arms in a Russian monastery. It was clean, there was enough food – they took care of it. But only as long as journalists came to report about it. When the cameras were gone, the inhabitants of the monastery complained about the use of electricity and water by the refugees. Going back is not an option. “I am a traitor to Ukraine,” the woman told The Insider. “For me, this is the art of survival.”
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
