In Helsinki, Finland, Russians and Ukrainians in transit pass each other in the station. Some are businessmen and women who, deprived of numerous international flights, try to reach their place of work by rail. Most are families leaving a country in which they no longer want to live.
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Finland is the end of a terrifying journey for Ludmila. “I fled through Ukraine, on a crowded train, plunged into darkness. Then I arrived in Poland, in Estonia and finally in Finland.“Originally from Kharkiv, she fled under the bombs with the women of her family and her 2-year-old daughter. She must now find her brother, who lives near the Arctic Circle.”My daughter thinks we just came to visit relatives and her father stayed in Ukraine to work. She is even mad at him. She doesn’t want to talk to him on the phone anymore.“
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A platform further, the Russian Xenia gets off a train from Saint Petersburg. She leaves Russia for a work trip. “With us, prices are rising ” she indicates. “Thousands of people are losing their jobs because companies are leaving. We don’t approve of what happens very often and at the same time it has an impact on us too. It’s hard to see the whole world turning its back when we personally haven’t done anything.“
Other Russians are on the train from St. Petersburg. Families wishing to leave a country in which they no longer recognize themselves. “These Russians are like us, unhappy people“cries Ludmila’s mother.”People don’t escape when they have the good life.“
Russians and Ukrainians cross paths in Finland, a report by Julie Pietri, Martin Troadec at the technical
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