The arrival of Ukrainian refugees in France in the wake of Russia's attempted blitzkrieg and the outpouring of solidarity it gave rise to two years ago already seem so distant.
The tribute paid this Monday, February 5 at the Aube prefecture to eight people, including the mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube, mobilized from the arrival of the first families, was a reminder of this early support.
“Support which has never wavered since 2022 in our department,” underlines prefect Cécile Dindar.
Center-thirty-six exiles, women, children reached Aube in March 2022, mobilizing volunteers, state agents, or even elected officials like Charles Hittler, the mayor of Arcis-sur -Dawn.
“It’s true that in our time, the subject is complicated.
But when you can receive for good reasons, I believe you have to do it,” she commented.
Also read: These Ukrainian refugees in France who chose to return home despite the war
It must be said that Arcis-sur-Aube, 2700 inhabitants 30 km north of Troyes, has a special link with Ukraine.
It dates back to a battle lost in the city by Napoleon on March 20 and 21, 1814 against the Austro-Russians.
A victory commemorated by giving the name Arcis, Artsyz in Ukrainian, to a Prussian community settled in what is today the Odessa oblast, which formerly belonged to the Russian empire in the south of the country.
A Ukrainian town which today has 15,000 inhabitants.
“Robert Piat, our former mayor (1965-1983), did a little research on all the Arcis that there were in Europe, and he found this Artsyz in Ukraine.
They established relationships, and we made a friendship charter with them,” explains Charles Hittler.
Giving them a helping hand at the start of the Russian invasion quickly became obvious.
“And then we are lucky to have a Franco-Ukrainian couple come to live in the town.
There was no language barrier.
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Four families remained
The chosen one knows at the time that he is not taking any risks.
The town has a CADA, a reception center for asylum seekers, which poses no problem for the population.
“I find it already so hard to come to another country.
If, in addition, we receive them poorly... Naturally, we have to filter, there could be anyone.
But those who are within their rights, especially with the war, well let’s really receive them decently,” he pleads.
Two years ago, emergency aid was quickly put in place, in conjunction with the Red Cross, volunteers, but also National Education and teachers “who did an extraordinary job”, underlines the mayor from Arcis-sur-Aube.
“We wanted,” he said, “to give them every chance so that they could bounce back and return home.
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“I share it with everyone, because it’s important.
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While some Ukrainian siblings left when the situation calmed down, four families remained in the area.
Because two years after the start of the conflict, the trend is not towards an end to the crisis.
“I have a lot of money,” sighs Charles Hittler.
I am one of those, I don't know if there are many in France, who still watches 26 (the LCI channel).
This is where they talk about it the most.
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Friend with the mayor of Artsyz, the elected official from Aube continues to learn daily about the situation in Ukraine.
“The great thing about Facebook is that there is translation.
And so I am a little bit of what they experience up there.
» A fund was set up at the start of the conflict to help the local population.
“When we see all the refugees in the south of Ukraine, we are going to try to add another layer, because we can sense that everyone is running out of steam.
Every day there are deaths.
And that’s really something that touches me,” admits Charles Hittler.
To date, 230 refugees including 72 children are still hosted in Aube.