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Around 4 million. That’s how many people in Ukraine—around 10 percent of the country’s population—have been displaced since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
With lives upended, homes vacated, and even family members tragically lost, Expats.cz took a deep dive to explore how war has changed the lives of people in Ukraine: for both locals and expats alike.
From stage to shelter
Despite war’s horrors, it has a way of bringing people together. This was especially evident when we met Alex Borovenskiy, a Ukrainian who runs the foreigner-friendly ProEnglish Threatre of Ukraine. In 2022, the theater temporarily became a bomb shelter.
His work did not stop, however: with his cast, he produced five plays in the same year, and even toured internationally. “Continuing to work was my way of resisting [the war],” he told us.
Alex told us that his future lies in Ukraine; he wants to help others through performances. He believes that his theatrical productions make a real difference to society: “They change people’s perception,” he explains. Alex runs another theater specially for war veterans and current servicemen who want to act. “This gives them the space to speak: it has a tremendous therapeutic and rehabilitative effect,” he told us.
“War made me see the value of life—that it is so fragile, and can be so futile.”
“When the soldiers are in the limelight, the audience sees them in a different light: thinking, acting, and feeling—not just shooting.”
Alex’s role also means he has to travel: in fact, his production company will perform at Prague Fringe at the end of this month.
Uniting people through war
Expats.cz also spoke with Olga Kearley, a Ukrainian community builder and event organizer who focuses on both expats and locals in Kyiv. For over seven years, she has run The Big Meet, a social networking event series.
Olga told us: “The war paused everything at first. The Big Meet had been running for almost seven years when we stopped after the full-scale invasion—there was no space for socializing when everyone was just trying to survive,” she mentioned.
“I also truly hope that after our victory, many of those who had to leave will return. There's so much work to be done—and so many beautiful things still ahead for this country.”
However, things got better. “By January 2023, we restarted: there have since been new expats arriving—many others have chosen to stay in the capital.”
Along with other Big Meet members, Olga has supported animal shelters, volunteer medics, and many local causes throughout the full-scale invasion.
However, Olga told Expats.cz that the war eventually took its toll on her: “Six months ago, I made the tough decision to move—partially for my mental health.” However, she strikes an optimistic tone about the future.
“Everything I do is rooted in the belief that Ukraine has a future worth building,” she tells us.
Forced to leave the country—but ‘home’ is not abroad
Expats.cz also met Arina, a master’s student at the National University of Kyiv, but originally from Kharkiv—a city to the east of Ukraine, not far from the Russian border. She fled Ukraine in early 2023 to seek work in Germany, but—due to her mother falling sick—has since returned home.
“I didn’t want to leave Ukraine—my home, family, and friends are here,” she told Expats.cz. “However, Russian shelling and bombing got so bad that I feared I would lose my life. I needed to go.”
When she arrived in Germany, Arina told us that she never fully acclimatized to the culture. “The language was different, the people behaved differently…I expected this, but thought I would feel more “‘at home’.”
"This time last year, I thought the war would end in a few months. Now it just seems endless."
Arina took up work as a waitress. She told us that although the salary in Germany was far better than in Ukraine, she didn’t see herself staying in Germany long term.
“When my mother’s health condition deteriorated, I felt I needed to come back,” she said. When asked about the future, Arina told us her doubts that U.S. President Donald Trump would give steadfast support to Ukraine.
The future lies in Ukraine
Olena is a Russian who lives permanently in Kyiv. She told Expats.cz: “I never left Ukraine since the war began. I had many invitations [to leave], but I stayed—for my sick father-in-law, my dog, and a good chunk of land in the Kyiv region. I also lost my job due to the war.” Olena told us that she lost two cousins in the past year: one on the frontlines, and another through shelling.
When asked about her plans for the future, Olena sees no other choice but Ukraine. “I will stay: if everyone leaves, who remains? This is our land, and we will fight for it to the end. I am Russian, and I’ve lost many friends who can’t or won’t see the truth. But I know where I stand.”
