Ukrainian Refugees Return Home Despite Russian Aggression and Threat of Renewed Attack

On February 24th, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine. In his address, he threatened anyone “who may be tempted to intervene” with consequences they had “never experienced before.”

In response to the conflict, many Ukrainians sought refuge in the western Ternopil region, which is a couple of hours away from the better-known city of Lviv. One of those refugees was 28-year-old journalist and translator Oleksandra Povoroznyk.

A year after the conflict broke out, the three Ukrainians have no plans to leave again, even as Russia is expected to launch a renewed attack to mark 12 months since it first invaded. Oleksandra Povoroznyk and her family have gone back to their home in Kyiv.

The conflict has caused immense suffering to the people of Ukraine, with many civilians falling victim to the indiscriminate air strikes. Despite the danger, Oleksandra and her family have chosen to stay in their home country.

The international community must continue to support the people of Ukraine in their fight against the Russian aggression. It is essential that the world stands together to ensure that the conflict does not escalate further and that the civilians of Ukraine are protected.