Refugee story in Budapest

The war in Ukraine has been going on for the fifth month. Millions of people became refugees during this time. Each of them has its own story, because many countries have volunteered to support Ukrainians. Many of our fellow citizens, even when they are far from home, continue the struggle – in particular, on the information front. One of the authors of Mind is currently in Hungary and publishes articles about everything that is really happening in the pro-Ukrainian publication Viszont. In them, she talks about the stories of immigrants, the cultural heritage of Ukraine, the realities of Ukrainian business survival, and much more. We publish a translation of one of the articles.

I am a refugee from Kiev, sheltering from the Russian invasion. In February I left Kiev with suitcase, laptop and corgi girl Yena, after russians bomb near my appartment.  

In Kiev I was a journalist, including 4 years of experience as a Forbes editor and journalist. In addition, I worked in banks as an expert in PR and numismatic. I am working like a little expert in numizmatic division of the National Bank. My social responsibility is Righteous Among the Nations. I have made 12 short documentary films ‘Word of the Righteous’ with interviews with Righteous and Survivors. 

In April 2021, Russia put the army on the board with Ukraine. But people didn't believe that the perspective of war was real. Daily life in Ukraine was going as usual, business was investing millions into Ukraine, new projects were being launched. For example, in autumn 2021, new media newspapers were launched  and Israely investors opened a new luxury hotel in Borispol in December. 

Then, the rhetoric of the media in Russia became terrible. After it, we saw the news that the USA and Israel evacuated embassies from Kiev to Lviv. The USA officially asked all citizens to leave the territory of Ukraine. 

Simultaneously the most influential and wise experts were saying it was just a political theater. “ The war is impossible” – they told us. I also wanted to believe their words. 

On the morning of February 24, Maria Glagoleva, a daughter of Righteous among the Nations Oleksiy and Tetyana Glagolevy, called me. Her father and mother saved many lives during Holocaust, and 9 persons from their family were recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. 

“We are already being bombed”, Maria Alekseevna said to me.

I understood what strange sounds I had heard at night. It was the sound of explosions. Ukrainian air defense was shooting Russian rockets.  

The government  declared martial law. Every few hours in different districts of Kiev we heard alarms. Russians try to come to Kiev. One night, a street fight was going on in a metro station underground close to me, in Berestetskii street. I went for a walk with my corgi Yena and saw many guys in civilian clothes with assault rifles. It was scary. 

Curfews is from 8 p.m. till 7 a.m. every day, but on some days we have curfews 24 hours. This means to shut the windows, turn off the bright light. If we hear an alarm, we must turn off all electricity, water, and gas, and go to the shelter. Shelters are the basements of our houses or metro  stations. Basements are very cold, damp, and are not adjusted to  sleep there . So many people do not go to shelters, and sleep all night in bathrooms or corridors because we believe these places are safer for us. 

State Service for Emergencies of Ukraine sends sms to all citizens. For example, if there is a collapse in the house: release your arms and legs, assess the situation, carefully disassemble the blockage, without touching what is holding everything, call for help, call or knock on the pipes, give yourself first aid.

During the first days of the war, I helped aged people and families of Righteous Among the 

Nations. Supermarkets looked like they were in Hollywood films about aliens. Almost all the shelves were empty. I found one pack of quinoa and one pack of tropical juice. 

But it was a day of bananas, so we bought some kilos for our Righteous and grandfathers and grandmothers. 

Then I contacted the kosher warehouse and went there to buy bread, meat, milk, cheese, wine, salads, sweets, etc for Righteous. It was not easy, because the warehouse was situated on the Left bank of the Dnipro river. But all bridges are closed, except for two. These bridges are also closed from 8 p.m. till 7 a.m. At other times there are people waiting for hours at the checkpoint to cross the bridge. 

Other volunteers and I took a car and went to help aged people, Righteous, and others who needed help with products and medicine. Jerusalem Post even wrote an article about me as I was a hero who literally risked her life to visit them, speak to them, and support them in Kiev.

On the sixth day of the war Russians bombed Kiev TV station that stands on the Babyn Yar. I was in my apartment directly near Babyn Yar. I was scared to feel the moment of the explosion. It was terrible. I went outside and saw that all the windows looking at Babyn Yar and the Babyn Yar bus stop  were destroyed. Fragments of bricks lay in the Babi Yar park, some trees were knocked down by the blast. “Don’t go further, because there are dead killed by russian bombs” – say me policmen, when I show him my press card. 

I have evacuated after bombing of Kiev few days later. Buses with people go to Moldova, and then to Bucharest. Civil organizations and volunteers help us in everything – in place to sleep, in meals.

I took a train ticket from Bucharest to Budapest. It was a free ticket for all ukrainians. It was a train full of passengers, almost all refugees – women, kids and aged people. 6 trains like this go from Bucharest to Budapest and Vienna every day. Then people go to Germany and Poland, or next to Canada, someone stays in Hungary.

When volunteers from Romania gave me water, oranges and food for Yena, I starting to cry. Because almost all I have in material world I left in Kiev, and each orange for me is a piece of joy.

During each stop volunteers from Romania and Red Cross give to every passenger pocket with food, water, fruits, napkins. Even food for dogs and cats. Many Ukrainian took cats and dogs to find shelter in the EU. 

First days in Budapest were with friends Andrea and Tamas Hak-Kovacs and Katalin Kokavecz helped me with the room, including breakfast. They were expats in Kiev, and they were happy to help me. 

Water and fruits and many important things like napkins I took in Keleti station tent city for refugees. The Red Cross, Malta Cross and other organizations help us with everything. It is hard to imagine how important it is.

For example, on the first day of the alarm my friend went with her little son to an Underground shelter. She sees the picture, now legendary – ukrainian children sleep on the floor of Underground. 

“When the alarm is finished, we don't go back home, but go directly to the railway station”, – says my friend. Now she is in Germany. 

Many of us came to the EU without anything. 

The great present from all EU is free trains, or with symbolic payment in 3 euro. The Mayor's office of Budapest gave all Ukrainian free public transport during April 15.

I wrote a post on FB, asking to help me and my corgi to find a shelter. Also, I met Zoltan Torbik who supported me and wrote a post asking for help. Families invite me and a dog to live in their houses. I am asking for the possibility to stay in Budapest, because I hope to find a job. Also, I received great support from Dandoy Gabi. And from volunteers from Keleti camp for refugees – Hajni, Shelly, Tanya!

Great thanks to my friends Aleksandr Kamotskii, Dafna Dolinko and Sergey Royt, and for my cousin Sergey Chenenko – thanks to you I am and Yena feel support these days, and I have possibility to help to families of Righteous among the Nations and all who need help in Ukraine, charging they telephone, help with food, call them and help with evaluation for those who need.

Great help with sheltering and food for me in Budapest I receive from jewish community, including legendary ukrainian Rabbi Yakov dov Blaikh, Mordechai Mayer, Rabbi Shmuel Raskin, Rebbetzin Batsheva Oberlander!

First Shabbat dinner I went to Chabad house in Budapest. I saw more than 200 refugees from Ukraine. I have a seat near a family from Irpin. It was an elite city near Kiev, in a beautiful forest. Many rich people dream of living in Irpin and buying flats. Now it is absolutely destroyed by war. Grandmother, mother, and daughter were frustrated, but thanks to the support of the Hungarian Jewish community, they felt better at the end of the dinner. 

In Budapest, there are many Ukrainian refugees like me, very optimistic. Thanks to private initiative, we have places to stay and food. We didn't ask for refugee status, waiting until the war was finished, I hope, until summer. 

My story is better than other stories, because at least today my house in Ukraine is safe.. In my refugee voyage, I meet families not so lucky like me. Their houses and flats in Kharkiv, Irpin, Mariupil, Kiev were destroyed by the Russians. In a hotel in Bucharest, I met a family of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis from Khariv. Their house was almost destroyed by bombs, and to become refugee in a good country is the only way for them.