“Children die, women die. Millions of people have been forced to leave their homes and flee the war,”



said Oriha Padalka, 22, from Ukraine.

He studied Japanese at Kyiv State University and came to Japan during the Russian invasion.

What did he want to say in Japan on the day the war ended?


(Wakayama Broadcasting Station Reporter Daisuke Ueda)

“Peace is the right of all”

On the 15th, the day the war ended, an event was held in Wakayama Prefecture to mourn those who died in the war and think about peace.



“To live in peace is the right of all people.”



Oriha Padalka, an exchange student at Wakayama University from Ukraine, took the stage and made a speech about the current situation in his home country.



“Russian troops attack train stations and department stores filled with civilians, killing thousands of young fighters. Children die, women die. I am forced to flee."

Fascinated by the rare words Japanese

Oriha is from a village with a population of about 2,500, located 100 kilometers south of the capital, Kyiv.



Six years ago in September 2016, I entered Kyiv National University.

It was then that I became interested in Japanese because it was a rare language.



"I want to go to Japan and learn more about



the language and culture. "

A succession of difficulties Long-awaited study abroad

But the joy is short-lived.

The infection of the new coronavirus spread all over the world, and it became impossible to enter Japan.



After her study abroad was postponed, Oriha, who graduated from university in June 2020, went on to graduate school.

I studied Japanese even more while waiting for the chance to study abroad, which I never knew when it would come.



Two years of waiting.

In February this year, I received an email from Oriha.

I was finally allowed to enter Japan.



"I was really happy when I got the news that I could go to Japan," but a



week later.

Russia's military invasion of Ukraine has begun.

Can I study abroad alone without my family?

On the morning of the military invasion, Oriha was awakened by loud explosions and shaking.

I didn't know what happened and I panicked.



I learned on the Internet that a military invasion by Russia had begun, and assumed that a military facility had been attacked.



Many people died and their peaceful lives were taken away.

Studying abroad in the midst of a military invasion.

Is it okay for me to study abroad and go to Japan where it is safe?

Oriha felt unbearable.



“Survivors, it was his guilt. It was really bad that I had to study abroad because a war broke out in my home country and many people died.



” were family and friends.

It is said that he decided to study abroad after being encouraged by the



words, "Don't give up on your dreams ."



Sad news from Japan

It took two weeks for Oriha to arrive in Japan.

I study hard every day.



Meanwhile, Oriha received sad news.

In May this year, my teacher at the Ukrainian university I attended passed away.

My teacher volunteered to become a soldier to protect his homeland, and was attacked by tanks in the eastern province of Kharkiv.



“There are many people who really want to protect their country, thinking about other people and their families. Losing their lives is a bad thing.

family members who remain in their home country

Another concern for Ms. Oriha is her family remaining in her home country.

We will contact each other and report each other's situation.



Nearly half a year has passed since the military invasion, and there was also good news from my father, who works at school.



Ms. Oriha's father


"I can now meet with the children and have classes. A shelter has also been built at the school. After that, all we have to do is arrange desks and chairs in the shelter."

Decided to talk about the misery of war

It's been 5 months since I left my hometown.

In Japan, where the tales of the war 77 years ago are handed down, Ms. Oriha decided to speak for herself about the tragedy of losing people close to her.



“I think it is really good to have an event like a peace gathering that includes the message that we should never go to war again.

And on August 15th, the day the war ended.

Oriha spoke to the gathered locals.



“The world community must not accept everything Russia is doing now. I sincerely hope that I will be able to return to Japan." Oriha wishes



for peace in Ukraine from far away Japan.

After graduating, he aims to work for his home country.



“In the future, I would like to work as a diplomat as a bridge between Japan and Ukraine.I want to strengthen relations between Japan and Ukraine.”