Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine a year ago, 100,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in France, according to the Interior Ministry. Nearly a third, 30,000 displaced persons, have been taken in by host families.
Soniia and Nadiaa had to flee Donbass, the Lugansk Oblast which is currently under occupation and facing heavy fighting. For nearly a year, these two women have been staying with a host family in La Roche-sur-Yon, in Vendée. Nadiaa the mother – who is a teacher – gives distance math lessons. Pupils from his town, Svatové, are now scattered across Ukraine and Europe, but despite the distance“it’s important for me and for Ukrainian children”explains Nadiaa. “It is important for all of Ukraine.”
TESTIMONIALS >> Six Ukrainian refugees recount their life in France: “Far from my home, I feel like a void”
His daughter, 17-year-old Soniia, vividly remembers the start of the offensive a year ago. She and her mother woke up at 5 a.m. in a panic. Then a few days later, she saw Russian soldiers occupying her town. “They went to all the housessays Sonia, to remove everything that was Ukrainian. They put Russian flags everywhere. I never could have imagined that I would be here a year ago. At first it was hard, a lot of stress, but now we get on really well with our French family.”
“They are part of the family”
So you have to imagine Nadiaa and Soniia getting off the bus in April 2022 after a long trip, some business and lots of memories before meeting Sébastien and Kathy. “It happened naturallysays Kathy. We let things happen. We gave them time to adapt. Like us finally, because it is an adaptation, casually, to receive two people at home full time. It’s not the same life. So, it happened naturally and it’s true that now they are part of the family in fact, quite simply.
In Nadiaa and Soniia’s bedroom, a huge Ukrainian flag hangs. “It was my parents who had it and so we installed it when they arrived, just to remind them a bit of home”explains Kathy. “It’s a little piece of Ukraine in this room”, says Sonia. A country, their country, which she dreams of returning to once the war is over.
“Most will leave”
The goal of these two women is not to stay like the vast majority of Ukrainian refugees. Most of these refugees have already returned home. In the department of Vendée, where Sonia and Nadia found refuge, 84 people were welcomed from the start of the war, from March 1, thanks to the association Les Joyeux Petits Souliers. Of these 84 people, only 23 remained. “Many suffer from being in France when they think they could be very useful in Ukraineexplains François Blanchet, president of the Joyeux Petits Souliers and mayor of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
“We even have mothers who arrived saying to us ‘we are leaving our children and we are going back to Ukraine immediately to help with the war effort’. These are people who, as soon as they can, will leave. Some will stay, but I think it will remain very marginal.”
François Blanchet, president of the association Les Joyeux Petits Souliers and mayor of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vieat franceinfo
Everything will depend on the conflict in Ukraine. In the case of Nadiaa and Soniia, it is currently impossible for them to return since their town is occupied by Russian soldiers. There are incessant bombardments, artillery fire. There are also some Ukrainians who have come to France for a few months and who are reluctant to come back.
François Blanchet often receives calls of this type. “We are told: ‘If we have no more food, if we have no more heating, will you be ready to welcome us again?’ And of course, we asked the host families. All the families are ready to welcome Ukrainians if ever the need arises. We always have the bus company we work with. We just have to press the button and in a few hours you can fill several buses to France. Of course, this is in case of force majeure. It is enough for the Ukrainian army to retreat and the Russian army to advance significantly. And I think we will definitely have requests for a new start.”
The war continues, the front is unstable. This is also why throughout France, funding agreements have been renewed this year to maintain the opening of 20,000 accommodation places.