The tragedy of Ukrainian children forced to flee the war. “I saw people dying. You always know that something bad is about to happen.”
We thank the Antena 3 team for today’s feature on the emotional story of a Ukrainian family that has found a new community in our country, with the support of our colleagues involved in the project “Integration of Refugees from Ukraine in Romania.” This initiative, implemented by AIDRom with financial support from Brot für die Welt, has provided assistance to this family, just as it has to tens of thousands of other Ukrainian beneficiaries of AIDRom’s projects over the three years since the war began.
Material sourced from the ANTENA 3 website:
The War in Ukraine Has Destroyed the Dreams of Millions of Children. Forced to flee explosions and tanks at a young age, Ukrainian children dream every day of returning home. Among them are Veronika and Maksym, who have grown tired of running from war. They have learned to survive with fear and terror after escaping the attacks of 2014. In 2022, when Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, the children and their mother once again fled danger, this time rebuilding their lives from scratch in Romania.
In 2014, when Crimea was attacked, the Diakhok family was forced to flee to safety, seeking refuge in Kharkiv.
In 2022, war found them again. Kharkiv was one of the first cities attacked and occupied by Russian forces.
The children’s mother:
“The first 100 tanks passed right before our eyes. There were explosions everywhere. We lived in fear, in constant terror, feeling as if we were trapped in a nightmare from which we couldn’t wake up.”
The war that changed their lives forever didn’t just steal their peace and sense of security—it left deep wounds in their souls.
The children’s mother:
“When the war began, we woke up to the sound of explosions. In an instant, we found ourselves in the middle of a war.”
The Diakhok family suddenly found themselves with three small children caught in the midst of conflict. A war that shattered and stole one of the most beautiful parts of life—childhood.
Veronika:
“I saw people dying. At the beginning, we were caught in the line of fire while living in occupied regions, hiding from explosions.”
Maksym:
“For me, it was the loud noises and the constant danger. Sometimes it was more obvious, sometimes less so, but you always knew something bad was about to happen at any moment.”
The children’s mother:
“When the Russians invaded Ukraine, the children knew they weren’t allowed to lock the door, and when the shooting started, they would drop to the ground. All our children knew exactly what to do when the attacks began. Most importantly, they knew which areas were safest to hide in.”
In the midst of despair, they learned about a “green corridor” that could lead them to safety. With heavy hearts but determined to save their children’s future, they fled to Romania.
Veronika:
“I miss our home in Ukraine so much. I really wish we could go back.”
Maksym:
“Adjusting here wasn’t easy either.”
Amidst the suffering, they found comfort and hope. They are now learning Romanian with the help of AIDRom.
Veronika:
“I want to become a dentist. What I like most about Romania is that people are very kind and help you without you even having to ask.”
Cătălin Popescu, Romanian language teacher:
“They are making great efforts to learn Romanian, which brings me so much joy.”
Cătălina Niculescu, representative of AIDRom:
“Terror, terrifying, horrible—that’s how they describe it. Every single one of them says the same thing.”
The Diakhok family is fighting to rebuild their lives.
The father has managed to find a job. The mother works as a cleaner, and the eldest son earns money by helping with various household tasks