Faced with Russia’s annexation “referendums”, some Ukrainians prefer to leave

Published on: 09/27/2022 – 11:36 While four regions of Ukraine under almost total or partial control of Russian forces vote until Tuesday in referendums on annexation by Russia, some Ukrainians have preferred to flee. Example with this history professor confronted with the forced Russification of southern Ukraine. A report by Gwendoline Debono, France 24’s special envoy in Ukraine. In regions emptied of their inhabitants and where those who remain do not really have a choice, the results of the referendums of annexation by Russia are hardly in doubt. Some Ukrainians prefer to flee rather than lend themselves to this “simulacrum” of democracy, like this history teacher who refused to teach in the Russian language despite pressure from local authorities. Ten days ago, she left the Berdyansk region, occupied by Russian forces in the early days of the invasion. Every day, she records lessons for her students who have remained in the occupied zone. At the end of June, Victoria and her fellow teachers were summoned by Russian soldiers. They ordered them to teach the Russian curriculum, in the Russian language and to go and train in Crimea. “We were summoned twice. The first time, they gathered us. The soldiers told us that we cooperate, in a fairly firm way, we refused and they said ‘okay, we’ll bring our teachers back.’ At first we didn’t feel threatened. Two weeks later, we were called again , by other soldiers. The commander was very, very tough, and we were locked in a room…Psychologically, it was tough,” she says.Two months later, Victoria and her family no longer had a choice and had to leave. A school in the town where she took refuge offered her a job. Victoria has chosen to continue teaching her students who are studying in hiding remotely.