The New York Post reports the difficulties Ukraine refugees have described when escaping from their war-torn country and how many want to go home.
In an interview with The New York Post, 65-year-old Volodymyr Biellaliev recounted his experience leaving his country and coming to America.
Biellaliev stated he never wanted to leave Ukraine, even after Russias February 24, 2022, invasion. Twenty days after the invasion, a rocket hit and demolished his neighbors home in Chernihiv, and he knew it was time to make his escape.
After the initial invasion by Russian troops, Kyiv put martial law and a travel ban into effect for physically-fit Ukrainian men 18 to 60 years old. Because of Bieliaievs age, he was allowed to leave. He came to New York with his wife and lives with his daughter and her 2-month-old son on Roosevelt Island.
Bieliaiev said, I left a lot of friends and family in Ukraine. My home is there. Its upsetting. When the war began, I went to the army to get weapons so I could fight...I wanted to fight for Ukraine. Chernihiv is right before Kyiv - the Russian aggressors were right there. If it wasnt for Chernihiv, Russia would have gotten straight to Kyiv. It was very hard to leave. My wife and I were both doctors in Ukraine. We had a normal life, and we lived how we wanted to. It wasnt a hard life, but now its totally different."
According to the New York Post report, over 8 million Ukrainians have fled their homes for safety reasons since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the war.
Spokesperson Zachary Dmyterko of RefugeeOne told the Post the not-for-profit organization has aided in the resettlement of over 2,800 Ukrainian refugees and that over half of them want to return to their homes in Ukraine.
The continued assaults on Ukraine are ongoing on the first anniversary of the invasion, and there is no end in sight. Even if Ukranians could return, many would have nothing to return to since most everything is destroyed.
Dmyterko said, Everything they had - and in many cases, their families and neighbors - are gone. They are the ones who talk most about staying in the United States."
In a United Nations survey taken in September, the figures found 81 percent of refugees from Ukraine had hopes of returning to their homeland. Only 4 percent would not want to return.
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