Three Years of War: Voices of Ukrainian in Romania
Three years have passed since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, forcing millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes in search of safety. Many have found refuge in western Romania, where they are now rebuilding their lives and integrating into their new communities with the support of the AIDRom Multifunctional Center in Timișoara, as part of the project “Assistance for Refugees at the Timișoara Transit Center and Support for Ukrainian Refugees”, implemented with the support of UNHCR.
To mark this moment, we spoke with four Ukrainian refugees, who settled in the western part of the country — Rocheva Irina, Zaharchenko Galina, Bostan Veronika, and Natalia Sibut. They shared with us their experiences, and provided testimonials about their challenges, hopes, and successes, reflecting on their journey from fleeing the ravages of war, to building a future in Romania.
- How has the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine three years ago affected your life, and what major changes have you experienced since then?
Як вплинуло на ваше життя те, що розпочався конфлікт в Україні три роки тому і які основні зміни ви пережили відтоді?
Rocheva Irina:
It made me start a new life, from scratch.
Zaharchenko Galina:
I left my homeland, I lost relatives and friends, I ended up without a home and without my usual life.
Bostan Veronika:
I had to leave everything I had in Ukraine and flee to another country to protect myself and my children.
Natalia Sibut:
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, my life has completely changed, and I have changed as well. I am from Mykolaiv and have a large family. The decision to leave the country was not easy, and not everyone agreed with the idea, so the family became divided. It was hard to leave my parents in the city and to accept that my pre-war life was lost forever. I left the country together with my sister, my niece, and my brother’s wife – three women, one child, and, of course, the cat. I had no plan, insufficient savings, and only had the essentials. We were on the road for more than a week and faced numerous difficulties. I will detail them below. What I can say now is that, since the start of the conflict, I haven’t seen my parents and friends, and since the war began, I haven’t been home in Mykolaiv because it is dangerous there. It’s hard, but that’s how I try to live. Now I am married, my husband is Romanian, and we are happy together – this is probably the only thing that keeps me from giving up. I have learned a lot to adapt to the new life. I have faced many challenges and stress. Currently, I work in a Romanian company, I am actively studying Romanian, and I plan to undergo therapy with a psychologist because I still feel the effects of the war. I long for true peace. I want to hug my parents and meet with my friends, and for the people in Ukraine to no longer suffer and die because of this cruel war.
- How did you decide to come to Romania and what challenges did you face upon arriving here?
Як ви прийняли рішення приїхати до Румунії і з якими труднощами зіткнулися при прибутті сюди?
Rocheva Irina:
It is difficult to find housing for a family of 10.
Zaharchenko Galina:
After a bomb was dropped from a plane and flew only 50 meters from my nephew—hitting the ground, but, as if by a miracle, not detonating—my daughter (accompanied by her two children) and I immediately signed up for evacuation and left Mykolaiv, our hometown. First, we were welcomed by our friends and stayed in Gura Humorului, near a church, for two weeks, and then, together with the apartment owners, volunteers helped us with clothes, groceries, and provided everything we needed. For a while, the volunteers supported us, and we are still in contact with one of them—Joseph Nadi.
Bostan Veronika:
Romania is the first country where I crossed the border, which is why I stayed here. In addition, I learned the Romanian language.
Natalia Sibut:
Actually, there were no predetermined plans. When I left with my family, our priority was to find housing, then to look for a job and settle down. The initial plan was Poland, because the Polish language is similar to Ukrainian and shares a border with Ukraine. I believed that the war would end quickly and that we would be able to return home. I spent three days in Poland with friends, but we couldn’t find housing because there were many Ukrainians, and the schools were overcrowded. We couldn’t even live with friends because the apartment was too small—only two rooms—and I did not want to cause them discomfort. We were advised to go to Germany, where, unfortunately, there were also too many Ukrainians—there simply wasn’t space for us. We were recommended to stay at a hotel and wait until we found a solution, but we were told that this wait could last for months, and we did not have the funds to stay in a hotel for a month. We were desperate. One of our friends advised us to go to Bulgaria, where we were promised that we would find housing and be welcomed and helped. At the border crossing with Romania, I noticed a tent with the Ukrainian flag and decided to stop; there, volunteers helping Ukrainians greeted us, offering hot tea, food, and essential items. We also discussed our plans regarding Bulgaria; they insisted we write down their phone number, which turned out to be useful. However, upon arriving in Bulgaria, we were not met, and the person who was supposed to wait for us did not answer our calls. We were confused and upset. Fortunately, we saved the number of the Romanian volunteers and contacted them to explain the situation. We were given the address where we were supposed to go. Romania is the first country that made me feel “at home.” Along the way, I met very kind people who offered us accommodation or food. I was amazed by their compassion and hospitality. When we arrived at our destination, volunteers I already knew welcomed us and offered us their apartments for a short period until we found a permanent solution. It was a time when we could relax and regain our confidence. I found a place where we could settle without issues, even with a cat. I was very grateful and happy that, at least, we had a roof over our heads and could forget about the endless journey into the unknown. The volunteers bought us clothes and food, because we had nothing else besides our documents and backpacks with the essentials. I found a remote job with a Ukrainian company, which was enough for us initially. Moreover, I still hoped that the war would end quickly and that we would be able to return home—a hope that, unfortunately, has not been realized to this day. I haven’t been home since the war began. I met my husband on Instagram—he happened to come across my profile and decided to see if I needed anything. Our communication was friendly, and I felt the support and care I so desperately needed during difficult times. He also organized volunteer assistance for Ukrainians in trouble, and I was happy to be part of this initiative and help others. I am still amazed by the openness and kindness of the Romanian people. I can sincerely say that Romania saved my life.
- How did you learn about the AIDRom project, supported by UNHCR, and what types of support (material, social, psychological) have been most useful to you through this project?
Як ви дізналися про проєкт AIDRom, підтримуваний UNHCR, і який вид підтримки (матеріальної, соціальної, психологічної) був для вас найбільш корисним в цьому проєкті?
Rocheva Irina:
I received psychological and financial support.
Zaharchenko Galina:
I learned about the project from friends in the Ukrainian church that is now here. Thank you to everyone involved, who provide help both financially and in solving social issues.
Bostan Veronika:
I learned about UNHCR upon arriving in Bucharest, and later about AIDRom in Oradea.
Natalia Sibut:
The volunteers from Arad Civic informed me about the AIDRom organization, and the initiative proved very useful for me. It was essential to learn the language, and AIDRom provided me with everything I needed, including vouchers to buy food, which helped me and my family greatly.
- Can you share a specific example of how the intervention of the AIDRom project helped you overcome a difficult situation?
Чи можете поділитися конкретним прикладом того, як допомога проекту AIDRom посприяла вам в подоланні складної ситуації?
Rocheva Irina:
I received timely assistance when I contacted AIDRom.
Zaharchenko Galina:
Last year, my nephew and I went through a difficult situation, and the project called me to come and receive food vouchers. I also received humanitarian aid, cleaning products, and bed linens—everything came at just the right time.
Bostan Veronika:
I received a helping hand in the form of vouchers, food packages, and bags with hygiene products.
Natalia Sibut:
The Romanian and English language courses were very useful for me.
- What aspects of the project helped you regain your emotional balance and hope for the future?
Які аспекти проекту допомогли вам відновити емоційну рівновагу та надію на майбутнє?
Rocheva Irina:
The activities for children.
Zaharchenko Galina:
I like the meetings organized by the project staff; they provide great emotional support. Thank you to everyone who showed that they care, and I hope we will not be left alone in facing future challenges. Thank you for the help.
Bostan Veronika:
They have demonstrated that it is possible to start over from scratch, always being there to help you in any way. People trust AIDRom.
Natalia Sibut:
I believe I still need support to regain my emotional balance.
- What role did the local community and the support offered by Romanians play in your process of adaptation and integration?
Яку роль відіграла місцева громада та підтримка, надана румунами, у вашому процесі адаптації та інтеграції?
Rocheva Irina:
An open heart and a smile.
Zaharchenko Galina:
In the beginning, when we arrived in Oradea, several families helped us. They organized fun outings, provided financial support, and stood by us. Special thanks to the owner of our apartment and his family, Banda Anka—her husband and her son David—with whom we communicate very closely.
Bostan Veronika:
He helped me with paying for housing during the initial stage.
Natalia Sibut:
The support from Romanians had a significant impact on my integration in Romania. I rediscovered trust in people, met new individuals, and became closer to Romanian culture. Various events were organized for Ukrainians, which helped us distract ourselves from the horrors of war—and for that, I am infinitely grateful.
- What message would you like to convey about your experience over the last three years?
Яку пораду ви могли б передати щодо вашого досвіду за останні три роки?
Rocheva Irina:
I appreciate that we are all alive and protected.
Zaharchenko Galina:
I hope this project continues to operate.
Bostan Veronika:
Learn the language and work hard to rebuild your life.
Natalia Sibut:
For Ukrainians, my advice is: adapt to your new life, learn the language, be grateful for everything, and enjoy every day. Do not lose hope and help those in need. For Romanians, I would say that war is an extremely terrible phenomenon; do everything you can to protect yourselves. The influence of Russian propaganda in Europe is very strong, so carefully verify the information provided to you. I want to express my sincere thanks to the Romanians: you are an incredible nation! Your culture, similar to the Ukrainian one, is precious—cherish it and be proud of it. You have saved thousands of lives!
Through these testimonies, the resilience of Ukrainian refugees and the vital role of AIDRom’s Multifunctional Center in Timișoara shine through. The work done under the “Assistance for Refugees at the Timișoara Transit Center and Support for Ukrainian Refugees” project, implemented with the support of UNHCR, has been life-changing, offering stability, dignity, and hope to those forced to flee their homes. Their journey continues, but so does the unwavering support from the Romanian community and humanitarian partners