Voices from Ukraine

Veronika Dvornyk was 19 years old when Russia invaded

Ukraine on a full scale. She speaks about why she never thought an invasion would happen and about her process to adapt to Swedish society compared to her mothers.

She talks about cultural differences and common factors and about the Swedish school system compared to the Ukrainian one.

She also talks about why she has a hard time seeing a future in Ukraine , even after the war will end and Ukraine once again will be a free country.

Nika speaks about the Russian invasion and her arrival in Sweden. She speaks about how she deals with her life today compared to 2 years ago and about her becoming a teacher.

Nika also speaks about Donbass and Donetsk and shares her thoughts regarding those regions and the people that live there.

Oleksandr Artiukhov was born blind and speaks about how he handled the war. About the fact that he couldn't se anything but probably hear more than everyone else and what that did to him. To know and come to turns with the fact that if he would find himself in an crucial situation , his odds to make it out would be bad to none.

He also speaks about how it is to live in Sweden with his disability and compare it to the life he had in Ukraine before the full-scale Russian invasion.

Kateryna Pashkova speaks about the challenges in Sweden after 2.5 years as a Ukrainian refugee. How some things get easier and some things get harder and why.

She speaks about the situation in Ukraine and her view on that development.

Mykhailo is back in the studio and talks about why he had to start studying all over again due to the war in Ukraine.

How he as a Ukrainian refugee is adapting to life in Sweden and why he thinks that learning Swedish is very important for his life here.

Polina Birinkova is back in the studio and speaks about the division among Ukranians in Sweden today. She speaks about the people that think that is shouldn't be allowed to leave Ukraine and those that don't agree with that.

She speaks about women joining the army in Ukraine and how life in Sweden as a refugee becomes even more difficult in some aspects over time.

Anna Martynenko speaks about how her husband struggles with the fact that he is in Sweden and not in Ukraine and between his feelings for his family and for his country. This struggle only gets harder with time.

She speaks about how her children handle life in Sweden , what news she has from her home in Ukraine and her personal belief to what drives Putin in this war.

Hanna talks about her situation as an Ukrainian refugee with a husband, an Ukrainian soldier, that has been captured as a prisoner of war by the Russians two years ago now.

With a daughter that has been brought up in Sweden and views Sweden as her country and herself as Swedish.

Meanwhile they can't plan life in Sweden since they don't know if or how long they are able to stay in the country and going back to Ukraine is not as option due to the current situation.

Hanna speaks about a life ,with no current stability or future. And how she handles that life one day at a time.

Hlib Verisov speaks about why it is harder for him to handle his situation as a refugee in Sweden now, compared to what it was like two years ago.

He speaks about the general mindset in the Ukrainian population right now when it comes to the full-scale Russian invasion and about his thoughts of the future.

Oleksandra Iordanova speaks about living under occupation in Ukraine, how different generation view the war differently and why that is in her opinion.

She speaks about the role of the media, Russian propaganda and about what in her opinion can be done when it comes to Ukrainian refugees integration in Sweden.

Oleksandra Mezhhevikina speaks about the shift in attitude towards the war and Ukranians after more than two years after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

She brings up the worries that trouble the Ukrainian refugees in Sweden regarding their status and speaks about what it is like for her and her son to leave her husband, his father behind in Ukraine.

Viktor Scherba speaks about him leaving Ukraine.

How that impacted him and his situation in Sweden right now as a refugee.

He speaks about propaganda and his thoughts about the future.

Elly Reynolds speaks about the corruption in Ukraine and why it in her opinion is one of the biggest challenges for the country in te war agains Russia.

She also speaks about the change in peoples mindset in Ukraine and what impact this last year has had on the country and the people in general.

Anastasia Zbrozhek speaks about her experience of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

About the Swedish attitude towards Ukrainian refugees and if the attitude has changed during then time that has passed.

What she thinks that Ukrainian refugees need to fokus on when arriving in Sweden and how the Swedish system can improve.

She also speaks about her view on a potential

future for young people in Ukraine and the Ukrainian willpower and strength to fight today.

Sandy Kirik talks about her view on the Swedish system for Ukrainian refugees and how she thinks that the system doesn't hold up in the long run and why.

How there is a double standard and that the theory and reality of how Sweden works are two different things.

Denys Gordiyenko speaks about the challenges that a Ukrainian refugee faces in Sweden. What life is like and how the system works or doesn't work.

Viktoria speaks about what it is like for her to live in Sweden as a Ukrainian refugee.

After more then two years in Sweden, what challenges she faces every day. What other people in the same situation as she is can think about and if she thinks that the Swedish system is capable to in a real way give Ukrainian refugees a possibility to create a life in Sweden long term.

Anna Khristianovych talks about why and in what way the system in Sweden makes it difficult for Ukrainian refugees to build a life in Sweden longterm.

What the biggest challenges are, what she thinks needs to change. She also gives advice to other people who are in the same situation as she is to make their journey a little bit lighter and some tips on the way.

In this episode, the moderator, Vivianne Treschow , is being asked questions by one of the guests.

Why is Vivianne doing this podcast, what is her motivation?

Vivianne speaks about her background and how the war gave new meaning to her identity and things that once felt clear suddenly felt confusing.

A clear change occurred.

How her Ukrainian side suddenly felt more alive than ever and how there suddenly was a big difference between Russians

and Ukrainians , something she hadn't felt before.

A lot of thoughts about identity, belonging, and a search for a way to handle it all.

Arena experienced the invasion 2 times. In 2014 and 2022. She speaks about the Russian propaganda and how it changed through out the years. She speaks about the LGBT rights, or lack there of when she lived in Crimea and much more.

Sven Bergland works as a volunteer with Ukrainian refugees.

He also fights for their rights in Sweden.

What are the conditions for Ukrainian refugees today? Why do things need to change? What needs to improve? What can we do?

Sven speaks about this and much more in this episode.

Elena Kulish lived through two Russian invasions, in 2014 and 2022, before she fled to Sweden.

She speaks about her experiences and about the Russian propaganda that she witnessed when she lived in Crimea.

Hannas husband was caught by the Russian troops while fighting for the Ukrainian army. Today he is in prison with no information when or even if he will be able to reunite with his family.

Sometimes Hanna finds a video of her husband online from the prison , the only sign that her husband is alive, since she isn't getting any information from any government , no dialogue.

In the beginning she was getting some communication from her husband. After a while, the

communication stopped entirely.

She speaks about how she copes with this reality where she has no answers , what she can do on her end, hope and her daughter that is growing up without her father.

Hanne speaks about how she and her son fled to Sweden when Russian invaded Ukraine on a full scale and her husband stayed behind. What impact this war has on her family and how she, her son and her husband handle the fact that they can't be together now.

Oleksij speaks about how he, his son and wife managed to leave Ukraine together, the stigma surrounding men leaving the country, his advice to refugees when it comes to establish a life in a new country and why he understands and supports Ukrainians that don't want to speak Russian any more.

Polina Biriukova talks about treason, family and friends being on opposite sides, the Russian perspective and much more.

Mykhailo is a student and talks about how he was able to leave Ukraine , how that was possible to do for him and the thoughts that surround his choice. He also speaks about how he was received in Sweden, his life here now and if he thinks that his generation has a different approach to the war than the older generation has.

Maryna Saenko speaks about how the war changed her as a person and why, the relationship between Russians and Ukrainians, about the fact that the war was a total surprise to her and her view on the Russian and Ukrainian language.

Elly Reynolds , is a doctor and one of the founders of the organisation Operation Aid. She speaks about her observations during her so far, 12 trips to the country since the war started. What help Operation Aid provides to the people, what the country and the people need the most today and what the biggest challenges are in Ukraine right now in her opinion.

Hlib Verisov was only 17 years old when Russia attacked Ukraine on a full scale. He talks about the war from a teenagers perspeGlibctive. How different his generation views the war compared to the older generation and how different the flow of information and where you get it is. He lived in Mariupol and speaks of his experience of the war in his hometown.

Iryna Bilyk speaks about the first time she left Ukraine after the Russian invasion 2022 and what it was lika to go back after some time and then leave the country again. She speaks about how she was greeted in Sweden and how she was and is treated as a refugee here.

Anja Martynenko talks about how Sweden and swedes surprised her with the way they welcomed her in the country when she and her family needed help. About helping Ukraine from Sweden and about leaving her home together with her husband and their four children, for an uncertain life for an uncertain period of time.

Inna speaks about relationships, family and friends that stand on opposite sides in the war and what that creates. What the biggest challenges are creating a life in a new country as a refugee and much more.

Ekaterina Pchelnikova, was born in Russia and gives her view of the war , life in Russia, democracy and many other topics seen through her eyes. Listen to this very brave woman that refuses to stay silent and doesn't accept lack of democracy or freedom of speech

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Eva Tatarova speaks about how war makes you do things you never thought you would do. How the world that you know and live in can change in one day and about hope when you least expect it.

Olga Bondaruk lived in Odessa when Russia invaded Ukraine and worked as an English teacher. In this episode she speaks about how life as she knew it suddenly ended , something she never thought would happen. About leaving everything and everyone behind for a new and unknown destination, due to war.

Denys Gordiyenko, talks about being a male and leaving Ukraine after the Russian invasion. The stigma/feelings and thoughts surrounding that.

Svitlana Musiienko speaks about living under occupation and how to survive in that situation.

Viktoria Poseivna opens up about

her experience of the war in Ukraine and her flight to Sweden.