Ukrainians are afraid of Trump's peace talks under crew

Ukrainians are afraid of Trump's peace talks under crew

A Ukrainian woman who lives under Russian occupation was asked why she and other Ukrainians stay in the occupied home instead of fleeing. She hesitated for a moment and replied: "I can't explain the feeling. It is as if you couldn't believe that evil could win. Even after three years, people cannot believe that this is the end. They continue to believe that the crew will end. Therefore they don't stay here and do not run away."

life under crew

The woman is a member of the purely female resistance group ZLA Mavka, which lives in a city in the southeast of Ukraine, which was under Russian control shortly after the beginning of the comprehensive, unprofitable invasion by Moscow in February 2022. Zla Mavka, which means "angry Mavka" - Mavka is a female forest spirit in the Ukrainian folklore - is only involved in non -violent activities. However, participation in any form of protest and speaking with western media Dangerous , which is why CNN does not publish the name and the whereabouts of the woman.

fear and uncertainty

She explained that life under Russian occupation is exhausting and extremely scary: "You can be arrested for everything. You are worried about everything. You have to check your phone, you have to check what you have in the apartment and hide many things. You cannot say what you think and you cannot trust anyone."

political statements and reality

President Donald Trump has made it clear that ends , even if the other territorial losses for Kyiv means. He said that it was "unlikely" that Ukraine will get its entire area back before the war: "(Russia) took a lot of land, fought and lost many soldiers." This statement could affect the hometown of the ZLA Mavka woman.

The voice of humans

"People abroad always talk about territories, and they may forget that it is not just about territories. It's about people. And people are still waiting here. They have not gone away and don't want to go away. Why should they leave their homes?" expressed the woman. At the moment, the Russian armed forces almost occupy a fifth of the Ukrainian territory in which around 6 million people live, including 1 million children who live in a situation described by the United Nations as a "dark human rights environment".

experiences of a survivor

Stepan, a 22-year-old Ukrainian who recently fled from an occupied area to the city of Cherson, which was controlled by Kiev, has experienced first-hand what cruelty the occupation forces can. His family was arrested by Russian troops in the summer of 2022, and he was held trapped for two weeks, beaten several times and tortured with electricity. His parents were held trapped for several months and never informed about the reasons why they were arrested.

The risk of fleeing

Both, Stepan and the ZLA Mavka member, reported that even the slightest suspicion of being "pro-Ukrainian" can have fatal consequences. "My friends and acquaintances were often removed because they did not want to have a Russian passport or did not register for military service. They were brought away and a week later with broken arms and legs or sometimes with head injuries," continued Stepan.

cultural identity under pressure

Human rights groups report that Moscow has increased his efforts in the past few months to "Russify" the occupied Ukraine in order to secure the areas for future peace negotiations. "They try to remove all Ukrainian from our city: the language, the traditions," said the ZLA Mavka woman and added that her group has set itself the task of keeping Ukrainian culture alive despite the crew. "We spread Ukrainian poems and works of Ukrainian authors and celebrate traditional Ukrainian holidays to show everyone that this is not Russia and never was - and will never be."

The pressure of the Russian regime

The Russian authorities systematically deleted Ukrainian national identity, religion and language in the occupied areas. They organized shammates about joining Russia and forced the local population to become Russian citizens. Last month, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that asks Ukrainian citizens in these areas to “regulate” their legal status by accepting Russian citizenship. Those who do not do this by September will be considered a foreigner and may only remain for a limited time.

The challenges of escape

Many Ukrainians refuse to leave their homeland in the occupied areas - most of them continue to believe that Kiev will ultimately free her country with the help of his western allies. Some also sympathize with Russia and support the new regime, although Stepan and the ZLA Mavka woman are convinced that it is only a small minority. "These are often people who had no good life before. For example, they did not have a good education and a good job, but now if they call" I love Russia ', they get a job in the government, help and money from Russia, "said the ZLA Mavka members.

help for those affected

The Ukrainian hotline SOS Donbas received more than 57,500 calls from people in occupied areas and conflict zones last year. Violeta Artemchuk, the director of the organization, reported that most people ask for advice on how they flee, get help and what effects it has to stay and take on a Russian pass. The Ukrainian authorities keep asking people in occupied areas to do everything to stay safe.

hope remains

But for many, leaving their homeland is impossible because it is too dangerous, too expensive and too risky. "In theory, it is possible to flee, but you have to be filtered," said the ZLA Mavka woman and referred to a security check process that the Russian armed forces carry out at all exits from the occupied areas. "You check everything there. Let us assume that there is a woman whose husband was a soldier in 2014 - if you find it out, she has a huge problem, so it is safer for her not to try it. It could be all like a comment on social media or something on your phone - you could simply arrest you and deport you to Russia."

The way out of the crew is impossible for many, as there is no direct way to get from occupied Ukraine to controlled areas. This means that everyone who wants to flee has to travel through Russia and then cross Europe to return. "It is not easy to leave everything behind and become a refugee. You can't sell your apartment, the border cannot cross money with a large sum, cannot take much ... it is possible, but not for everyone," the woman reported. However, their hope and the many others remain, even if the news from the White House and elsewhere are full of horror. "People are very nervous and are afraid for negotiations through which our cities could become Russia - that's the greatest fear. But I can tell you that even if that happens, the resistance will not stop."