Ukrainian men returned to the fighting with their luggage
According to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 2.8 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, most of them refugees to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has previously said that Ukrainian refugees are the fastest-growing "refugee crisis" in Europe since World War II.
According to US media reports, although so many people have struggled to escape from Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Border Guard, in the past two weeks or so, about 220,000 Ukrainians have "counter-currented" back to Ukraine for various reasons. While many return to fight and others to participate in humanitarian assistance, some return for the simple reasons they want to "go home".
The three grandchildren fled and turned back two days later
After many people left, they found it difficult to leave their hometowns
In addition to Ukrainians who returned to join the army, some Ukrainians reportedly happened to be traveling abroad at the time of the conflict and were eager to return to their Ukrainian homes again. Many of the fleeing Ukrainian refugees chose to turn back because they found it difficult to completely abandon their homeland after they actually left.
A few days ago, the southern Ukrainian black sea coast city of Nikolayev was hit by air raids, and three women of Sinizina's grandson were forced to flee to Poland. But after two days in Poland, the three decided to return and boarded a train back to Ukraine on the evening of March 12.
Jenna Sinizina, 49, said she said she had been "feeling wrong" since leaving, despite fears that returning to Nikolaev's home could still be attacked. "In my heart of hearts, Nikolaev is my home." Jenna said, "The important thing is that I need to go home now. Jenna also said her 19-year-old son and husband are still in Ukraine to defend their homeland, and she hopes to return as soon as possible to do everything she can to support them and the local community.
For Jenna's 30-year-old daughter Nadia and 12-year-old granddaughter Kira, going back is more of a last resort. Nadia hopes to get a job in the western Polish city of Poznan so she can send money home. But Poznan was so far from where they could stay for free, she couldn't take care of both. Nadia agreed to return to Ukraine with her mother, but at the same time worried about the safety of her daughter Kira.
Lapchuk said returning home could help students and the community
The hometown is not affected
The female teachers still decided to go back and help the students
According to US media reports, the Ukrainian Border Guard said that on the evening of March 12 alone, more than 100 people returned with the three families of Sinizina's family. They waited outside the Przemyŷr train station on the Upanish border for a late train from Kiev, most of them Ukrainians, and 52-year-old Vera Lapchuk was also one of those waiting to take the train back.
Lapchuk is reportedly from the western Ukrainian city of Rivne and is a teacher at a local school. Although the local area has not been affected by the conflict, local schools have been closed. She took refuge in Poland shortly after the conflict began, where she was reunited with her son.
But more than a week after leaving her hometown, Rapchuk suddenly realized she needed to go back to Ukraine. She allegedly felt that her family and the local community still needed her. Lapchuk said that while she did feel "desperate" about the current situation, she said she "didn't feel scared" and hoped to see her students again and bring "peace" to them around them.
So far, Lapchuk's relatives and friends have reportedly not been injured. While her hometown remains safe, she feels "responsible" to help children who are terrified. While waiting for the train at the train station, she confessed that she did not know what was waiting for her, but she was mentally prepared for all the unexpected things.
Red Star News reporter Ding Wen
Edited by Pan Li
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