Thousands of Ukrainian and Russian refugees have gone into exile in Serbia since the start of the war two years ago. Some of them passed through Serbia as a transit country to reach Western Europe, others stayed behind.
Two years ago, thousands of Russians and Ukrainians had to flee their respective countries because of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict to find refuge in Serbia.
For some of them, this Balkan country was a transit stop, before reaching Western Europe. But others have settled there. 150,000 Russians and 16,000 Ukrainians live in Serbia.
Serbia considers Russians to be refugees because they are subject to visa restrictions from the European Union.
Jenia left Sakalin, a town in the Russian Far East, for Serbia just after the start of the war and settled in Novi Sad. In Russia, she took refuge in the town of Novi Sad.
“When the war started, we felt very bad. We cried for several days. I felt like I was in a cage. Maybe I don’t feel guilty, but responsible for the fact that my country is killing people from a neighboring country in my name.”
Russian refugees in Serbia are subject to much more restrictive administrative requirements than those of Ukrainian refugees in terms of visas, it is more difficult for them to travel within Europe.
Some Ukrainian refugees want to return to their country. Like Ivanna Korniiko whose husband is in Kyiv to fight against the Russians, on the front.
“I haven’t seen my husband for two years. I lived with my mother and sister in the town of Kamenjec-Podoljski. It’s good in Serbia, but it’s even better at home.”
According to official figures, around 80,000 Ukrainian refugees passed through Serbia before settling in a European country.
