Survive and escape: Why so few Ukrainians deported to Russia return

Four young people boarded a plane from Tallinn to Oslo one day in June. The youngest of them, Andrij, was 19 years old, the others 20, 21 and 30 years old. All of them were hiding in basements in Mariupol a few months ago and did not know if they would survive.

They were forced to evacuate to Russia, fleeing shelling. The young people went through filtering, then refugee camps in various Russian cities. And they found the strength to overcome thousands of kilometers to leave there.
About two million people were forcibly or voluntarily relocated to Russia from Ukraine - such figures were recently mentioned by officials of the Russian Federation.
However, recently, Russian state media, citing officials, announced that as of August 1, the number of displaced Ukrainians in Russia exceeded three million, and that half of that number, according to their claims, are residents of the self-proclaimed "DPR" and "LNR". including those who left just before the war began.
The UN gives a figure of 1.9 million Ukrainians evacuated from the territories occupied by the Russians.
Andrije's story is similar to the stories of hundreds of thousands of residents of occupied Ukrainian towns and villages who are now in Russia. And his journey is an example of the obstacles and pitfalls faced by Ukrainians who want to escape from Russia to other countries or return to Ukrainian - unoccupied - territory.
To this day, it is not known how many people managed to escape from Russia. Such statistics do not exist.
According to the approximate calculations of the volunteers, it can be about several hundred thousand people out of the several million who entered Russia under compulsion or voluntarily.

In "DPR" they said: filtering, then Russia, then from there - wherever you want

"My mother and I wanted to go to Zaporozhye, but the Russians told us that it was impossible, that all the bridges were blown up, it was dangerous. We couldn't find out what it was really like. Therefore, the only way was to go to DNR. We walked from Mariupol to the nearest village. I don't remember exactly what it was called. There was a blockade, a bus stopped. When about 30 people gathered, we were taken to the village of Nameless. We stayed there in school for two days, and then they they sent us to Dokuchajevsk by bus", says Andrij.
"And right there in the hall of the House of Culture there was filtering. There were many people, we stood in line for a long time. Everyone's phones were checked, fingerprints were taken, we were stripped to look for tattoos," says Andrih.
According to Human Rights Watch, there are at least 14 infiltration camps in the territory temporarily not under the control of Ukraine.
The representative of the USA in the OSCE stated the number of 20 infiltration camps on both sides of the Ukrainian-Russian border.
"They asked us - will you stay in DNR or go to Russia? We said to Russia, so they sent us to Taganrog. We lived there in the gym, then the volunteers promised us that they would take us to another place. On the train, we were told that we were being taken to the Stavropol region, to the city of Nevinomysk. As a result, we got there and they put us in a boarding house," says Andrij.
So the boy and his mother and about 60 other people finished almost 700 kilometers from Mariupol.

"Why they took us there, I don't know. We were only told that there are conditions for housing and that we will arrange the documentation there. Even when we were in the "DNR", we were told" you will pass filtering, go to Russia and from there you can to go wherever you want", recalls Andrij.
 
"You don't belong to yourself"
 
There really are no clear bans on leaving Russia, human rights activists say. However, there are many pitfalls that a person in a hopeless situation does not know about.
The main obstacle is people's lack of information about how to proceed, what documents to sign, if the Russian state authorities offer it, especially when people were left without Ukrainian passports during the forced evacuation from the occupied territories.
Andrei did not know how to behave, although he was thinking about how to get out of Russia. And hundreds of thousands of people are in such a situation.
Another interviewee of BBC News Ukraine, 40-year-old TV producer Ivan Zavraznov from Mariupol, says that those who enter Russia find themselves in complete darkness. Together with his mother, he agreed to go to Russia. An aerial bomb hit his apartment, and the only option for escape, he says, was to go to the country that destroyed his home after a month and a half of hellish shelling.

"From the first minute you enter the evacuation bus, you fall into the unknown. Absolute information blockade. You don't belong to yourself. We were brought to Taganrog, the bus stopped under the train itself, and no one knew where the train was going. It turned out, in Toljati. I didn't know where he was. The answer was to go there for a day," says Ivan.
Ivan refused to get on the train that was supposed to take him and several hundred other people 1,300 kilometers away. No more than 10 people from the evacuation column made it, the rest left. He says that he heard from others that the same thing happened to them - since leaving Mariupol, the final destination changed several times.
Ivan says that even the most elementary things - withdrawing money from an ATM or changing currency - are impossible, and for many it is a problem to even call relatives. People become completely dependent on those who brought them to Russian cities.
"They find themselves on the territory of the aggressor's country and do not understand at all what is happening, what the legal regulations are, what you can count on, who to turn to for help. They do not understand what rights they have and what are the consequences of your actions and signatures", explains Oleksandra Matvijchuk , head of the board of the Center for Civil Liberties, which helps Ukrainians in Russia.

Asylum in the country of the aggressor

Russian official bodies immediately offer Ukrainians to make certificates of temporary asylum or refugee status. And they are campaigning to change their citizenship.
"We were told that as soon as we get refugee status, after that we can get a Russian passport within three months. That is, they give you a certificate that you are a refugee and immediately offer you to write an application for citizenship," says Andrij.
He and his mother decided to apply for such status and submitted their Ukrainian passports. As explained to them, they are taking their documents for translation from Ukrainian to Russian.
Refugee status or temporary asylum status in the future will play a key role in what happens to Ukrainian refugees in the future.
"Ukrainians agree to get status in Russia in order to have some money, because they have no means of living. But as soon as this happened, their data entered all the registers, after which the Russian border guards did not want to let these people go. Who, it turned out, voluntarily agreed to protect Russia. That's why the main thing is not to take this status for any promises," Katerina Rashevska, a lawyer at the Regional Center for Human Rights, emphasized to BBC News Ukraine.

"If there is a temporary asylum in Russia, then it is no longer possible to leave legally," agreed a Russian human rights defender in a comment for BBC News Ukraine on condition of anonymity.
However, he explains that asylum can be officially refused. Some Ukrainians agree to receive Russian citizenship, because with it there is a possibility to get a legal job and enjoy social benefits.
"If a person, after taking a Russian passport, was able to keep a Ukrainian one, then there is a legal possibility to go to Belarus using a Russian passport, and from Belarus - with the presentation of a Ukrainian passport - to Ukraine or European countries," - explains the Russian human rights defender .
Ukrainians often do not understand that they have the right not to sign any papers and leave Russia. But they agree to it, fearing the consequences that could arise in case of refusal.
However, the Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories, Oleksij Borodai, emphasizes that refugee status does not mean that a person is deprived of the right to move.
"Russia is a member of the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, which provides for the possibility of obtaining a travel document. Belarus and all EU countries are also members of the Convention and must comply with its rules. If a Ukrainian has already received refugee status in Russia, then the biggest risk is disobeying the rules of movement and leaving the country can result in the loss of this status", explains Oleksiy Borodaj in an interview with BBC News Ukraine.
Andrije and his mother's passports were returned. His older brother, who lives in the territory controlled by Ukraine, told him what to do and asked him to escape from Russia as soon as possible. Without waiting for confirmation of his refugee status, the boy decided to leave.

Ombudsman in Russia: only 55,000 have status

At the same time, Tetjana Moskalkova, Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, states that slightly more than 55,000 people from Ukraine have received the status of temporary asylum. She suggested that the FSB and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs investigate why this is happening.
One of the explanations can be that a significant part of the evacuees have so-called passports. "DPR" and "LPR" or passports of Russia. According to a simplified procedure, residents of the self-proclaimed "republics" could apply for Russian citizenship from the spring of 2019, when Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a corresponding decree.

In addition, Ukrainians can stay on the territory of Russia for 90 days, with which Ukraine still has a visa-free regime, without obtaining refugee status or temporary asylum.
It is possible that Ukrainian citizens deported or voluntarily evacuated in April-May-June took advantage of this. But after a period of 90 days, the picture may change.

Those who stay

Andrij started looking for options to leave Russia. However, his mother categorically refused to leave the Stavropol Territory.
"I wanted to stay in that guesthouse, in Nevinomisk. Small room, shared toilet, shared shower, dining room. We eat three times a day. In principle, you can live. "She also said that she wants to return to Mariupol," says Andrij.
He says that, according to his observations, many evacuees do not plan to leave Russia.
"About 60,000 came to Stavropol Territory. Of all these people, only I left Russia and another guy, who, as I now found out, flew to Canada. The others stayed," he says.

"I still don't understand where I should be"

Fifty-year-old Olga, an associate professor at one of the universities in Kharkiv, also decided to stay in Russia.
"When the shelling of Kharkiv started, my friends suggested that I go and wait in Russia. Everything was in motion, in a hurry. I jumped out of the apartment, got into the car and entered the convoy of the Russian army. I thought I'd stay there for a few days, I didn't even take my suitcases. Already in Russia, I realized that a lot of time had passed, that I would not be able to return anytime soon. My house was badly damaged, and what was left was looted," says Olga.
"I still don't understand where I should be. My husband is in Germany, he receives 450 euros as a refugee. He is calling me there, but I haven't decided yet," says Olga.
At the same time, he describes his life in a new place as full of problems. At first, Olga worked remotely, but after some time the institute in Kharkiv transferred her to another workplace.

"I received "Putin's" 10,000 rubles of aid. But that's not enough for anything. I wasn't really satisfied everywhere, because I worked in a Ukrainian educational institution and lived in Kharkiv all my life. I refused a job at a Russian university because of the "ruthless" attitude and in general, an attitude in which I feel negativity towards Ukraine," she says.

"They don't have the strength to make a decision"

Human rights activists also say that many Ukrainians remain in Russia, because they have no money, documents and cannot cross the distance of thousands of kilometers to the border with European countries. The story of TV producer Ivan Zavražnov is an exception.
"I had a foreign passport and I could say that I arrived in Belarus without any problems, and from there to Poland. It was more difficult with my mother, because she only has an internal passport. And with it it is impossible to buy a ticket to another country. Only when I arrived in Poland, I bought her a ticket so she could travel by bus from Saint Petersburg to Estonia", says Ivan.
He admits: he had the money for it. Except when you are in Taganrog or Rostov - it is easier to reach the border with a European country.
"If we transfer this situation to other regions where our people have gone, it is almost unrealistic," says Ivan.
According to Oleksii Borodai, "they are trying to settle a huge number of Ukrainians in remote and depressed regions of Russia: Yakutia, Siberia, Vladivostok and others".
Another reason why Ukrainians do not dare to leave Russia is the constant intimidation by the official authorities - they say that you have defected, escaped and for this you will be punished in your homeland. There is also a significant part of the residents of the occupied eastern regions of Ukraine who have relatives in Russia and prefer to stay with them.
Human rights activist Oleksandra Matvijchuk cites another reason.
"When we talk about obstacles, we do not fully understand one very important thing. It is human resilience, the ability to face circumstances," she emphasizes.
"Imagine the condition of these people who were sitting in shelters, under fire, without water and food, many of them were hiding their dead relatives and friends. And here they have to search for something, achieve something, make decisions. They don't have the strength to make these decisions," believes Oleksandra, explaining why the number of those who leave Russia is much smaller than those who stay there.

Oleksij Borodaj, one of the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Culture, cites the same reasons.
"They were deported under psychological and moral pressure, threats and the reality of the use of violence, in a difficult material situation. Many of them went through filtration camps. Therefore, it is difficult to talk about the true will of this category of people", says Borodaj.
"It is very difficult to predict how many people want to stay there, because there can be many reasons why a person does not return to Ukraine. Someone has relatives in Russia with whom they want to stay, someone is afraid to return because of a threat to their life, because of the lack of an apartment and a job in Ukraine," adds Oleksiy Borodaj.
However, 19-year-old Andrij is sure that among those who remained there are many who support Russia and blame Ukraine.
"I heard, for example, that they accuse the Ukrainian army of fighting in Mariupol itself, and not outside the city. That they shot at residential buildings. But these people don't pay attention to who exactly shot," he says.

Thousands of volunteers in Russia

While he was in Nevinomisk, he contacted acquaintances from Mariupol, who were in various cities, and learned that they were planning to leave the Russian Federation. They said they were being helped by Russian volunteers.
"They said that volunteers could help us get to Estonia and then to Norway. I asked them to ask about me as well, if we could work together. They agreed and we agreed to meet in Rostov-on-Don to continue," says Andrij.
From Rostov, young people - two boys and two girls - went by train to St. Petersburg. Volunteers bought them train tickets. From there we drove to the border with Estonia, to the Ivangorod-Narva border crossing.
"The Russians kept us at this crossing for a very long time. They kept me for about five hours. They checked my phone, threatened that I wouldn't go anywhere. When I asked why, they answered that they were looking for "fascists", but they still let me go," says Andrij .
Young people were met by Estonian volunteers in Narva. They took the Ukrainians to Tallinn and bought them plane tickets to Norway.
Irina Lobanova, one of the volunteers in Narva, Estonia, head of the city's Ukrainian community, told BBC News Ukraine that in May, 270-350 Ukrainian refugees passed through the Navra border crossing per day. As Irina explains, it is logistically the most convenient compared to the others.

According to "Navrska Gazeta" data, in July, fewer than 150-200 Ukrainians passed through the Ivangorod-Narva crossing every day.
Thus, starting in April, 50,000-60,000 Ukrainians passed through this point every month.
Oleksiy Borodaj says that there are agreements with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on assistance in the return of Ukrainian citizens who were deported to Russia.
Generally speaking, we are talking about 10 border crossings between Russia and these countries, which provide the necessary first aid, as well as the possibility of free arrival in Ukraine by bus.
"It is important that this return option is effective, even for those Ukrainians who have lost or do not have documents with them," he emphasized in an interview with BBC News Ukraine.
Estonian volunteers say that everyone who comes from Russia to Estonia has a volunteer coordinator. In fact, these volunteers take care of refugees all the way, from Russia to their final destination in European countries - from information on who will meet them, provide for them, to tickets in the right direction. (And the majority of Ukrainians - 65 percent - do not seek asylum in Estonia, but go to other countries or to Ukraine).
Irina claims that thousands of volunteers and human rights defenders in various regions are currently helping Ukrainians in Russia.
"These people risk their lives. There was a case when a group of Ukrainians arrived in Narva, but no one met them. It turned out that a volunteer was arrested in Russia. She was forced to delete all correspondence, to give up relations with these people," he recalls. with Irina.
Human rights activists talk about an underground network of Russians who help Ukrainians in Russia - from exchanging money, securing the most necessary things to buying tickets and escorting them to the border. They communicate with Ukrainians anonymously or through Telegram chatbots, fearing persecution.
Human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk admits that there are indeed volunteers in Russia who help Ukrainians to get out of there and condemn Russia for crimes against Ukraine.
"But there are also those who do not facilitate the escape from Russia, but help to start a new life on the spot, believing that Russia saved these evacuees from violence and "Nazis" in Ukraine," she adds.

"These people are very easy to assimilate"

As Oleksiy Borodaj says, the main problem that makes it difficult to help Ukrainians deported to Russia is that there are no consular relations with the Russian Federation. That is, now it is impossible to even get information about the whereabouts of Ukrainians.
"We are talking about the lack of any cooperation between Russia and Ukraine at the diplomatic level in matters of accounting, identification and returning Ukrainians home," he admits.
According to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the government is negotiating with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other international organizations, with various countries that have missions in Russia, to help Ukrainians return to Ukraine, including the possibility of issuing temporary identity documents.
However, human rights activist Oleksandra Matvijchuk emphasizes that the ICRC, UNICEF, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Commissioner for Human Rights ignore the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the deportation of civilians to the occupied territory or the territory of the aggressor country.
"Recently, in a UN announcement, describing the number of refugees accepted by this or that country, they wrote that Russia is in first place. That is, they are all called refugees, not forced deportees. I don't even know how many people have applied for refugee status there," says Oleksandra Matvijchuk.
She admits that given the huge number of people displaced in Russia, volunteers and human rights defenders are not able to help everyone. Those who do not find the strength to escape on their own may very quickly be assimilated in Russia, suggests Oleksandra.
"One of the reasons for the deportation is the improvement of Russia's demographic situation. Ukrainians are easy to colonize. They know the Russian language, they have a common Soviet past. These are people who assimilate very easily," she believes.