Russian women and the war: "It breaks my heart!"

Created: 03/08/2022, 16:25

By: Josef Ametsbichler, Robert Langer

“No War”: The Ukrainian (left) and Russian flags side by side at a peace protest.

© afp

Horror and willingness to help: What Russian women from the Ebersberg district say about the Ukraine war.

An insight into the emotional world of four women.

District

– 275 people with Ukrainian citizenship live in the district of Ebersberg, not counting war refugees now arriving.

There are also 65 people from Belarus - and 301 people with Russian passports.

The latter are now in the situation that their home country is at war against a country with which Germany, where some of them have lived, studied and worked for a long time, has shown solidarity.

Nobody approves of Putin's actions

A bad feeling for many Russians in the Ebersberg district, coupled with horror at the actions of the Putin government.

EZ asked around those who wanted to talk about the situation - all names in the text have been changed to prevent reprisals in this country or against relatives in Russia.

First of all: no one has been found who would approve of the invasion.

"We all find it unbelievable," says Irina, for example, in her early 40s, who, like many other Russian citizens, comes from the western district.

Her entire circle of friends and relatives in Germany and in Russia was appalled by the invasion.

After all, Ukrainians and Russians are “brother nations”.

She has already donated clothes and advocates actively supporting the Ukrainians.

"It breaks my heart," says Irina about the people who were attacked in Ukraine - but also about the wounded and killed Russian soldiers who were unwittingly sent to war.

Many family connections between Russia and Ukraine

Several Russian citizens who spoke to EZ are affected for very personal reasons: Many family ties between Russia and Ukraine, but also to Belarus and Georgia, for example, are very close, often historically rooted in the Soviet Union.

Marija, in her mid-40s, has Ukrainian roots and relatives in Moscow.

"No one asked them if they agreed," she says.

"In the year 2022 that's unimaginable!

A war like this has consequences for all countries.” Yes, there are also Putin-patriotic Russians in the Ebersberg district who are in favor of the invasion.

"A small part that I don't pay attention to," says Marija.

Many want to help.

About Tanja, mid-40s, late repatriate from Russia.

She has long had contacts with Ukraine via the Internet.

When the situation escalated there, she contacted the Ukrainian parish in Munich, who helped her bring a minivan with donations in kind to Poland - from there Tanja took two women and three children to a reception center in Germany.

"All I want is peace!" she says through tears.

Haven't experienced any hostility so far

Natascha, in her mid-60s, lived in Ukraine for around 20 years before coming to Germany 20 years ago.

She is trying to lure her nephew, who is in his early 30s, from Ukraine to the West.

He will not be drafted into the army because of a disability.

Natascha speaks of the great willingness to help her neighbors in Germany.

Something that Irina also notes: "People here understand our situation," she says.

"Yet." So far she has not experienced any hostility in this country because of her nationality and the war.

German friends and neighbors are more curious about their perspective.

A perspective that not all Russian citizens want to share.

For some people contacted by EZ, things seem to get too hot, and they withdraw after initially promising.

One person speaks of a conflict that divides families.

Referring to Putin's propaganda television and the hitherto free access to Western media in Russia, Irina says: "Some don't want to see the truth."

You can read more news from the Ebersberg region here.

By the way: everything from the region is also available in our regular Ebersberg newsletter.