Photo of a people walking away from a destroyed building

People cross a river where a bridge was destroyed in Irpin, Ukraine, last March.

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images 

Escape From a War Zone

Millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes since Russia invaded their country. This is one family’s story of survival.

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

Boom! A loud explosion jolted 10-year-old Vladik Rokhmail out of sleep. His sister, Anhelina, heard it too. It was a little after 5 a.m. on February 24, 2022. Russia had just invaded Ukraine. The kids’ hometown, Derhachi, is only about 20 miles from the Russian border.

“I didn’t understand at first,” Vladik recalls. “It was scary.”

Anhelina rushed to wake their parents, who came up with a plan. They would drive to the kids’ grandparents’ house a few miles away and hide in their basement until it was safe.

There was no time to waste. Vladik stuffed his backpack with some clothes, his cell phone, and his laptop. Then the family scooped up their puppy, Nika, and headed out the door. 

They had no idea what the future would hold—for their family or their homeland. 

Courtesy of family

The Rokhmail Family

A Difficult History

Some experts say Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to make Russia as powerful as possible. So he invaded Ukraine in an effort to take it over. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has led Ukraine’s military in a fierce defense of their country. 

A year later, the war is still raging. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed. Entire towns have been decimated. More than 14 million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. 

Running From Danger

Vladik, Anhelina, and their parents spent five nights huddled in their grandparents’ basement. Outside, the roar of explosions and military planes filled the air.

The Rokhmails decided it wasn’t safe to stay in Ukraine. But getting out wouldn’t be easy. Millions of people were streaming toward the country’s borders, desperate to escape. The kids had to say goodbye to their grandparents, who chose to stay behind.

“It was very difficult to leave,” says Anhelina, who is now 15. “We cried all the time.”

At first, the family drove to a friend’s house in western Ukraine. Along the way, they drove by houses, businesses, and roads that had been destroyed by bombs.

Over the next few months, the Rokhmails stayed with friends and relatives as they made their way through Romania and Germany. In June, they boarded a plane to the U.S.

A New Home

The Rokhmails now live in Jacksonville, Florida. An organization called Catholic Charities helped them get settled in their new home. Living in a new country has been a big adjustment.

“Everything is different,” Vladik says.

Learning to speak English has been the biggest challenge. Vladik and Anhelina started new schools and have made new friends.

The family has kept in touch with relatives in Ukraine, who keep them updated about the war. Though they’re grateful to be safe, they miss Ukraine and the loved ones they left behind.

“I wish the war will end,” says Vladik. “I’d like to go back.”

  1. Why does the author say that getting out of Ukraine “wouldn’t be easy”?
  2. What might Vladik mean when he says that “everything is different”?
  3. Based on the sidebar, describe some differences between refugees and immigrants.
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