Friday, 11 Jul 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > Putin critic who left Russia flees Kyiv as “double refugee”
World

Putin critic who left Russia flees Kyiv as “double refugee”

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Putin critic who left Russia flees Kyiv as “double refugee”
SHARE

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — To Olena, it feels like Vladimir Putin has been chasing her for years.

Fed up with Putin’s government, the Russian citizen left her native country six years ago and moved to Ukraine, where she helped raise funds for women and children whose homes had been destroyed in years of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region.

Then, this week, she was on the move again — fleeing her adopted home of Kyiv ahead of Putin’s invaders.

“It looks like I’m a double refugee now because first I fled from Russia because I was against Putin,” said Olena, who spoke on condition that she be identified only by her first name for fear of reprisals against her or her family. “I fled from Russia, and then Russia came to Ukraine.”

Olena and five colleagues left Kyiv after three nights in a bomb shelter, the thuds of explosions reverberating. They arrived in Hungary on Thursday after a harrowing, three-day flight.

Seated on a train in the Hungarian border town of Zahony before departing for the capital of Budapest, Olena said she had participated in anti-Putin protests in Russia, but came to realize that “Putin will just rule for as long as he lives. So I chose to vote with my legs and leave.”

She moved to Ukraine, she said, because she was inspired by the Maidan revolution of 2014, when sustained protests forced the ouster of Ukraine’s Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych.

“As long as Putin is in power, I will never go back,” she said.

But now, Ukraine was no longer an option, either — for her or for the hundreds of other refugees who boarded the train for the five-hour journey from the border to Budapest. Dozens of volunteers greeted them, offering food, transportation and accommodation.

Olena was grateful to be in friendly territory, but the future looked uncertain. “I have no home, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I just have to hope,” she said.

She lost access to her money after Ukraine blocked the bank accounts of Russian citizens, fearing they would be used to finance Russia’s assault on the country.

“I understand their reasons, because they are afraid that Russians will use this money to fight. But I’m just a civilian. I just lost all my income, I lost all my source of money, and I lost my bank account, just because of this Russian passport,” she said.

That passport, she said, caused her problems on the journey from Kyiv. Some Ukrainians expressed hostility, associating her with the enemy.

But she stressed that many Russians, at home and abroad, oppose the war, and she hopes “people would separate the government from common people that don’t want to fight.”

“Ukrainians are like a brother people,” she said. “We can’t fight amongst each other. Putin is the real enemy. When Putin came to power, I didn’t like him but I didn’t realize the whole scale of his insanity.”

On Thursday, Olena and her colleagues were given a place to stay in a leafy suburb of Budapest. It is a welcome respite.

“We don’t hear explosions anymore. We don’t hear sirens every two hours, when we have to pack our things and rush to the bomb shelter,” she said. “When we crossed the border it was such a relief that we are alive and we are safe.”

___

Balazs Kaufmann in Zahony, Hungary, contributed to this report.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article EXPLAINER: Putin’s Balkan narrative argument for Ukraine war EXPLAINER: Putin’s Balkan narrative argument for Ukraine war
Next Article Local churches shun Vatican’s moderate stance on Russia Local churches shun Vatican’s moderate stance on Russia

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

‘Anora’ assessment: Sean Baker’s ‘Fairly Girl’ is a triumph

Celebrated indie author/director Sean Baker is not treasured about intercourse. On social media, pearl-clutchers chatter…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Over 25 Prime Day offers on headphones and audio system are nonetheless reside: AirPods Professional and Bose QuietComforts stay at record-low costs

Desk of Contents Desk of Contents Desk of Contents Finest noise-cancelling headphones offers Finest AirPods…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Factbox-Ukraine Crisis – Where will Putin stop?

Peter GraffFebruary 22, 2022, 11:46 AMRussian President Vladimir Putin signs a decree recognising two Russian-backed…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Rosie O’Donnell Says She Talks with Lyle Menendez 2-3 Instances Per Week

Rosie O'Donnell Lyle Menendez is On Pace Dial ... Chatting A number of Instances Every…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

EU awaits letter from Donald Trump outlining new tariffs – Europe reside
World

EU awaits letter from Donald Trump outlining new tariffs – Europe reside

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Palestinian lady, 61, who fled Gaza detained by authorities after pre-dawn raid in Sydney
World

Palestinian lady, 61, who fled Gaza detained by authorities after pre-dawn raid in Sydney

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Australia information stay: former Sydney councillor picked by Trump for ambassador function; Segal quizzed on antisemitism measures
World

Australia information stay: former Sydney councillor picked by Trump for ambassador function; Segal quizzed on antisemitism measures

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
YouTube creators and eSafety commissioner at odds over whether or not to exclude platform from under-16 ban
World

YouTube creators and eSafety commissioner at odds over whether or not to exclude platform from under-16 ban

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?