Far from home, Russian exiles help Ukrainian refugees

The graduate political scientist Yevgeny Zhukov used to own a small cafe in Moscow, but when the war in Ukraine started, he decided to pack his bags and leave.

Zhukov joined the tens of thousands of Russians who have fled their country and traveled to neighboring Georgia, where he helped set up an NGO to help Ukrainian refugees.

“I could not face such an injustice and do nothing,” Zhukov told AFP.

“I made a decision to get a passport and go to Georgia to do something, to help in some way,” said the 23-year-old, who now helps Ukrainian refugees receive medical care through Emigration for Action in Georgian to get capital Tbilisi.

Down in the basement of the corporate headquarters, which is run by newly exiled Russians, Zhukov organizes shelves of various medicines delivered from a local pharmacy.

Lined behind are rows of neatly labeled brown paper bags, each containing an order for a Ukrainian refugee or family awaiting pickup.

“When we came here, we realized that we can’t just do nothing,” said another founding worker named Daniil, who was posted to Tbilisi from the German political foundation he works for.

He said they noticed there was a gap in providing free medicines to thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Georgia.

Since starting work in late April, the group has already helped more than 250 Ukrainian refugees obtain medicines, ranging from simple painkillers to prescription drugs.

Now their pool of volunteers has grown to over 30 and more refugees are reaching out for help, raising fears the demand will be greater than their resources.

The group finances its purchases with donations and organizes various events – such as lectures or film screenings – to collect donations.

Many Russians who moved to Georgia after the war began were greeted coldly by locals and fresh in their minds of their own conflict with Moscow in 2008.

But Daniil said they haven’t experienced any negativity since the establishment, either from Georgians or Ukrainians.

“We not only want to help, but also not to deny that we are Russians. That’s why we have the flag outside,” said the 26-year-old, meaning the white-blue-white Russian opposition flag was hanging at the entrance.

He admits that it can even be “a bit embarrassing” to get gratitude from refugees for helping.

Among those who have reached out to the group is Nikolai, who fled the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, now under Russian control.

As the battle for the city was still raging and “under fire” he decided to leave the city with his wife and two daughters to escape the devastating siege.

The 40-year-old IT worker now lives in Tbilisi and Emigration for Action helped him get calcium medication that was no longer available in Mariupol.

For Nikolai it doesn’t matter where the help comes from.

“I don’t confuse Russia with the people who control it,” he said.

“You have to look regardless of a person’s nationality or other characteristics, just look at what kind of person you are based on their actions and deeds,” he added.

But Zhukov admits it was “difficult” for him to come to terms with the fact that his country, Russia, had attacked its neighbor.

“I am a citizen of a country that is the aggressor, but I am very reassured by the refugees’ words of thanks,” Zhukov said.

“I’m working on my future in many ways. So when I have kids who read history books and ask, ‘Dad, what have you been doing during that time?’ I can look them in the eye and say I did the right thing.”