Reportage
France: time to say goodbye for these Ukrainian refugees returning to the country
Audio 01:12
Tears run down the cheeks of François Blanchet who welcomed Marta Tsurkan for 4 months at his home in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, in Vendée.
The latter goes back to Ukraine with her two children to join her husband who has remained in Lviv.
© Matthieu Bonhoure / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Arrived just four months ago thanks to the Association of Happy Little Shoes of Ukraine, 48 refugees left Thursday, July 7 from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, in Vendée, towards Lviv in Ukraine.
If the country is still engaged in a violent war, some return because their loved ones are injured, or to help on the spot.
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From our correspondent in Nantes,
Matthieu Bonhoure
In the same parking lot where they arrived four months ago, the refugees return with their well-filled suitcases - five just for Solomiya.
She leaves with her 10-year-old daughter, Darina, and her twin sister, Yarina.
“
Over there, it's our home, it's our friends, it's our family... We're going to go back to our work
,” Solomiya explains.
His sister Yarina discovered here that she is pregnant.
Her husband remained in Ukraine.
The two twins therefore decided to return to Lviv.
“
I hope everything is fine and that it remains calm, that we can work as usual
.
»
Four months after her arrival in France, in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Marta is leaving for Ukraine this morning with her two children.
She will join her husband in Lviv, but before she prepares rations to hold the two days of bus @RFI pic.twitter.com/iazmzxSHPo
— Matthieu Bonhoure (@mbonhoure) July 7, 2022
► Also to listen: The new life of Ukrainian refugees in France
Heartfelt goodbyes
Pierre welcomed these two sisters for 4 months, he helps to load the suitcases, with a lot of emotion.
"
It's weird, they're part of the family.
It's as if your children were simply leaving.
It's a bit the same thing
, ”said the Vendéen, his throat knotted.
Is he afraid to see them leave?
“
Totally
,” he replies categorically.
"
I didn't agree to them leaving...
"
It's time, the bus has to leave, tears run down the cheeks of refugees and host families.
Hands waving at the bus, the host families see the refugees leaving before their eyes.
"I'm afraid for them", slips Pierre who hosted two women and a little girl during these four months @RFI pic.twitter.com/rwXaOz6nAy
— Matthieu Bonhoure (@mbonhoure) July 7, 2022
“
Thank you for everything.
Goodbye Charlotte!
», Addresses a refugee to a little girl, with tears in her eyes.
Charlotte has just given her comforter to Solemiya, a little Ukrainian girl who has spent 4 months with her.
The two will hear from each other with video calls every evening, hopes little Charlotte.
► Also to listen: From Mikolaïv to Morvan, the first days in France of Ukrainian refugees
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