More than three million Ukrainians have fled the country since the start of the war, many Russians have also decided to leave their country. An exodus that disrupts the lives of some families in France. This is the case, in Paris, with a young Franco-Russian couple living in the capital.
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A mountain of pirojkis sits on the table in this living room of a small Parisian apartment.”It’s a filled bun, something very traditional“, explains Helena, who cooked them. “It’s really quite simple, but it’s a very warm dish that brings together families and Slavic peoples“Helena left her town in southern Russia a week ago with her husband Anton. Both are opponents of Vladimir Putin. They have come to live with their son.”I work for a sports organization linked to the Ministry of the Interiorsays Anton. I couldn’t have an opinion on the war. There was a lot of pressure. We were in danger.“
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Around the table, there are also Valentina and her mother Svetlana, two Ukrainians from the in-laws. They fled the Donetsk region, a pro-Russian area in eastern Ukraine. They arrived in Paris after a very long journey, passing through Slovakia. This is the first time that they meet, all four.
“I would like to personally apologize for all that the Russian government is doing to the Ukrainian people, says Helena. Not all Russians support Putin. Some try to fight, but it’s difficult.” Valentina responds in the same tone: “We have no hatred against Russians. What counts are their human qualities. They are not guilty of the acts of a single figure who has all the power in Russia.“
“We see that these people are victims of the same man who martyrs his people and attacks another“Notes Nicolas. It was he and his friend who organized the two emergency repatriations from France. He is apprehensive about the next steps to take: “We will have to find them a home so that they can potentially rebuild something.“His boyfriend adds that they might”be quite cramped at six, if we can’t find a solution.“
The couple still bought a new sofa bed, as well as an inflatable mattress, to be able to sleep everyone in their small apartment if necessary.
A Russian-Ukrainian family in Paris, a report by Benjamin Recouvreur
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