Ukrainian authorities on Sunday, May
15, reported a steady increase in the number of people who
returned to the country over the previous days. Ukrainian
refugees in Italy are also starting to travel back home.
ROME - Many Ukrainians left the country in a rush to save their
lives after the Russian invasion on February 24, bringing
nothing with them. Adults left their homes and jobs while
children left school and friends. They were all forced to leave
their habits behind. But three months after the start of the
war, many Ukrainian refugees in Italy are beginning to return
home. Oles Horodetskyy, president of the association Ukrainian
Christians in Italy, said on Sunday (May 15) that the "trend
reversal occurred after Putin's speech on May 9. Many expected
an announcement of an even harsher, total war, but it didn't
happen". The flow of people entering Ukraine through its western
border after May 9 exceeded for the fifth consecutive day the
number of people leaving the country and the total net inflow in
Ukraine over the past few days was of 31,000 people, a record
since the start of the war, according to Interfax Ukraine. The
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Saturday, May 14 said
that over 37,000 people left Ukraine compared to 34,000 on the
previous day while the number of arrivals in the country was of
nearly 46,000 against 40,000 on Saturday. "This is also due to
the fact that central and western Ukraine are safer", said
Horodetskyy.
'5-7% have returned but trend is growing'
Fabio Prevedello, president of the national association
Italy-Ukraine Maidan, has noticed that many are returning home.
He said "5-7%" are believed to have travelled back home "for the
moment". "We have also witnessed, with the buses we use to fetch
people, that some are asking us to take them home. We crossed
people who were returning also at the border. Everybody is ready
to return to Ukraine, many are already packing but, for the
moment, the situation is quite limited. If the trend continues,
in a few weeks we will see a significant number of departures",
he noted. The trend was confirmed by Mykhaylo Dolya, who owns
the bus company "Tarko Tranc" that leaves Ukraine each Wednesday
and Friday and departs from Italy on Saturday and Sunday.
"During one of the last trips, I brought to Italy 20 Ukrainians
while 50 travelled to Ukraine", he said. "In another one, seven
arrived in Italy and 35 returned home".
According to data provided by the Italian interior ministry,
115,342 Ukrainians arrived in Italy as of Sunday: 60,085 women,
16,093 men and 39.164 minors. The main destinations were Milan,
Rome, Naples and Bologna. A reported 85,000 applied for a
temporary permit and nearly 28,000 applied for a subsidy of
about 300 euros for each adult and 150 for each minor. Speaking
about the subsidy, Horodetskyy said: "I want to report that I
personally accompanied a boy to apply for the subsidy and he was
given an appointment on July 12. It is normal that those who
don't have the means" to support themselves "decide to return
home", he said.
(Ukrainian women and children in Brescia, Lombardy, return home
by bus, on May 3, 2022. ANSA/FILIPPO VENEZIA)
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