Catalonia Ukrainians and Russians demonstrate in Barcelona against Putin's invasion
From a distance and through the filter of war, the dramatic photograph that we see of the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia leaves us with a terrible and endless conflict.
The horror of the Russian invasion in February has not only reached us through the news, with the particular perspective given by each newscast, but also through the testimony of the thousands of refugees who have escaped from the bullets and bombs but not from the pain suffered and lived for months.
The tension between the two countries has not only had repercussions at a social and economic level in Europe, but it was a severe emotional blow to the community of Ukrainians and Russians residing in Catalonia.
Since the beginning of the invasion by the Russian forces at the end of February, the two groups have demonstrated jointly for the end of the violence, demonstrating the strength of the bond between citizens of the two countries who are Catalan by adoption, despite some cases isolated controlled by police.
This complicity between Russian and Ukrainian citizens can be seen in the personal and business relationships of those who have been living in Catalonia for some time and who, despite the initial impact of the war, have seen how human ties have strengthened.
They form a highly integrated 'soobwestvo' (community) with numerous common interests and a very close network into which they have integrated numerous refugees who have arrived in Catalonia in recent months, mainly Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Nothing like suffering a common adversity, even from a distance, to further unite two communities that share culture, traditions, religion and history.
Always keeping an eye on the situation in his country due to the family ties that are still preserved in the face of a conflict that seems to go on for a long time and that could worsen with the freezing winter that is coming.
A circle of businesswomen
Alexandra Ri
was born in Moscow and has been in Barcelona for 8 years.
She is an International Digital Marketing Consultant and for two years she has been dedicated to 'astromarketing', an innovative technique that helps entrepreneurs, psychologists and creatives, among other professionals, to apply the natal chart to enhance their brand and communicate better.
"With the help of the stars, you can get to know yourself more deeply and know how to stimulate your communication, sales or business", remarks Alexandra, who is committed to overcoming the blocks that we all carry within to push ourselves towards our goals.
In this way, together with her team, she designs a communication plan, which includes everything from a website to social networks, to increase the motivation of her clients.
The businesswoman, who is responsible for the RI Marketing Academy, is part of a community of women managers and professionals, called Kod Publichnosti, founded worldwide by
Ana Mavricheva
.
In the circle of this entity in Barcelona there are 329 women, all Russian-speaking since they are originally from those Eastern European countries.
In this group, formed after the pandemic, the professionals come together to share both professional and personal goals to create a support network.
Alexandra says that the start of the invasion was like an absolute shock in the circle since despite the existing union, both Russians and Ukrainians did not know how to act and that for "weeks" there was a lot of "silence" that they share.
She even sent a message on social networks the day after the Russian invasion in which she assured that she lived "a cruel and terrible reality that has no explanation... A reality in which your president makes a decision with which he does not nobody who lives in your country agrees, but that affects absolutely everyone" and recalls that "Ukraine and Russia have always been brother countries and we have a lot in common, there was always a deep love on a personal level, but now these 'games politicians'
Alexandra during one of her conferences to the circle of businesswomen
"At that time I had friends in Ukraine and the programmers from my company were there too, I had a hard time but I started working for the unit", explains Alexandra, adding that the Ukrainian women from the group of businesswomen saw how the rest also supported them for what the circle "came out strengthened".
The following meetings and other events, such as a conference that he gave a few days ago to some 70 people, showed this union between the businesswomen above the crisis between the two countries: "Human relations exceed international political conflicts."
The consultant also explains that it has helped numerous refugees who come from Ukraine when they settle in Barcelona to look for doctors or other services since they arrive very disoriented.
She has also participated in charity events such as the one held at the Circle of the Lyceum in support of Ukrainian children.
"We want the union and we will do everything possible to maintain it, it is important to remember that human relations are above politics," says Alexandra.
The impact of war on a family
Tamara Galimova
has lived in Spain for 22 years, a country she came to as a child.
She is a financial consultant who is dedicated to helping people plan their future free of debt and financial burdens: "I am constantly looking for talent."
She explains that she was born in Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, although her last name is Ukrainian after her adoptive father.
Precisely, she has a family distributed in the conflict zones although she remembers that "nobody expected the war, it was a real surprise".
A month ago his great-uncle managed to leave the Ukraine, a country where he had lived for 30 years, and return with his family to Russia after living the horrors of the war for many weeks, with buildings destroyed and corpses in the streets.
"Her family wanted to send her money from St. Petersburg but they wouldn't let them and we had to do it from Spain," says Tamara, who laments the hardships her great-uncle suffered with almost no food for days.
He finally managed to return to Russia and at the border "they treated him very well."
Tamara explains that she has clients like very good Ukrainian friends and that the conflict has not tarnished their relationship.
She was even helping a Ukrainian woman when they met at the pediatrician and she needed translation to attend to her baby since she did not speak Spanish.
"I regret the situation, although I do not consider myself responsible. The conflict is beyond us and surely there are reasons that escape us, it does not go with us but I have done all the hands that are necessary to whoever needs it," Tamara points out.
Tamara together with her mother Elena
Elena Galimova
, Tamara's mother, lives in Lloret de Mar, in an area where there is a large community of Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Armenians and Moldovans, in which they have always communicated in Russian.
She assures that the war did not affect their relationships beyond the normal concern of those who have family in a conflict zone, as she herself had an uncle in a bombed area until she managed to leave for Russia.
She explains that in recent months the presence of Ukrainians fleeing the war on the Costa Brava has increased and that she herself, as a real estate agent for the company Mares Realty Inmobiliaria, has looked for accommodation for many of them.
"Years ago when there were the first conflicts in the area, many Ukrainians came and bought or rented apartments that they have now occupied while the war lasts," explains Elena, adding that some of her acquaintances have already assured that they will return to their country when the situation calms down.
At the moment, Russians and Ukrainians form a very close community, although when the invasion began there were some moments of tension when a Russian owner who was selling his house feared insults from a Ukrainian buyer, which did not happen, or a Russian child was attacked by Ukrainian classmates at school.
"Now the children play together and there is no problem, we understood that the confrontations are not worth it," says Elena, who has been in Spain for 25 years and already has nationality.
She explains that she offers help to Russians and Ukrainians such as translating, looking for services such as babysitters or stores to buy electrical appliances since some arrive disoriented.
In this way, the community of ex-Soviet residents on the Costa Brava integrates Ukrainians fleeing the war.
The refugee children's barber
Sergey Zloteskov
has lived in Barcelona for three years after living all his life in Odessa (Ukraine).
His family is with him after they managed to leave the country in February just days after the Russian invasion.
He explains that the situation in his country is "very bad at the moment" and that is why from the barbershop that he has in Barcelona he has turned to helping refugees.
Every week for months he gave free haircuts to refugees and also offered to help translate or go to the airport to receive people fleeing the war.
Sergey in his barbershop in Barcelona
"Russian clients came in and asked me for forgiveness for the invasion of their country into mine and I told them that they shouldn't do it, it wasn't their fault."
He has clients of various nationalities, mainly Ukrainians and Russians, as well as employees from these countries who also helped him in his solidarity work for the children of Ukraine: "There was no problem, we are a family."
"Given the news that comes to us from Ukraine, you only think about helping however you can" explains Sergey who explains that there are currently more Ukrainians than Russians living in Spain since a visa is not required to enter.
While he closely follows what is happening in his country, he dedicates himself to cutting hair, although his goal is to open a school to train future hairdressers.
He recalls that both in Ukraine and in other Russian-influenced areas "we have another way of cutting hair, with much higher quality, with more detail, things with love come out better and are more enjoyable."
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