Ukrainians in Ireland: 'My kids have grown up without knowing a time when Ukraine wasn't fighting'

Ielizaveta Karamushka has lived in Ireland for the last eight years with her husband and young children: “It’s a sad coincidence those are exactly the amount of years Ukrainians are fighting for their land in the war with Russia.”

Ukrainians living in Ireland have spoken of their fears as Russia mobilises its forces for a potential invasion, and vowed “we hope for peace but we must always be ready”.

An already tense situation in the region ratcheted up further at the weekend, as the US and Russia held talks amid fears Russia could invade Ukraine within a matter of days.

The US warned that Russia had shown little signs of backing down, and promised tough sanctions if there was an invasion.

Moscow wants guarantees from the West that Nato will not allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members, and for the alliance to halt weapon deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe. 

The US and Nato have flatly rejected these demands.

How all this would affect the lives of the 44m people living in Ukraine is a topic that troubles the expats living here.

Data from the Census in 2016 shows more than 3,000 Ukrainian nationals live in Ireland and at the forefront of many of their minds is Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Hanna Kukhta lives in Dublin with her husband Valerii.

She told the Irish Examiner: “Nowadays many of my friends who live in Ireland ask me if war is possible. It’s ongoing. Since 2014.

“Will Russians invade? They had already invaded and occupied Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.” 

Everyday people are dying because of it. Will Russia attack again? I am more than sure they will.

Ms Kukhta said she had many friends in the regions already affected by the conflict who have “lost everything” and have had to start again from “zero” on many occasions.

She said like many Ukrainians she is worried for her family and elderly relatives.

“They will not be able to protect themselves or to escape,” she said. “How can I help? What should I do for them?” 

Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kyiv to protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Picture: Efrem Lukatsky/AP

Valerii Tsvietkov said they hope it’s a manoeuvre from Russia to get the upper hand against Nato and that there won’t actually be an invasion.

“Russian should understand that invading a country they will get only resistance, guerrillas and people who do not want to work for occupation forces,” he said.

“The hearts of Ukrainians cannot be gained by military attack.” 

Ielizaveta Karamushka has lived in Ireland for the last eight years with her husband and young children.

“It’s a sad coincidence those are exactly the amount of years Ukrainians are fighting for their land in the war with Russia,” she said.

“Are we scared now for our relatives and friends in Ukraine? Oh there is not a doubt about that.” 

Unlike 2014, however, Ms Karamushka said Ukraine is much better prepared for what may come than it was eight years ago.

“Today we know what to do,” she said. “Ukrainians all over the world are doing what they can." 

Eight years of living in a war were a long time to clear our minds. My kids have grown up without ever knowing a time when Ukraine was not fighting.

She said her friends back in Ukraine will stand up and face whatever comes their way.

Ms Karamushka said: “They are getting ready and I’m helping them from here with what I can.

“We hope for peace but prepare for war. That, today, is our form of ‘panicking’ and I’m really proud of my people responding with useful work to these absolutely terrible threats.” 

 Ielizaveta Karamushka with her husband and young children.

Mr Tsvietkov said Ukraine’s hopes lie with a “strong united position of Western countries, military support, and economic sanction”.

“Pressure should cool down hot heads,” he said. “They should understand that there will be ‘hell to pay’ in blood and money.”

He added that in the worst-case scenario, they would stand ready to support their relatives in Ireland should they become refugees.

Ms Kukhta said she doesn’t want “Ukraine to be a colony of the Russian Empire any more”.

We want peace for our country, but we must always be ready.

She said she feared what would happen to activists and people in civil positions should such an invasion happen. 

She also expressed concern at how the war could impact the natural environment and ecology in Ukraine.

Mr Kuhkta said that thousands of acres of Ukraine’s fertile black soil could be filled with bombs rather than wheat, barley, oat, or sunflowers. “For what reason?” she asked.

“Ukrainians in Ireland and all over the world crave: ‘Help us to stop Russia’.”