Up to 10% of Ukrainian refugees leaving Luxembourg
Due to housing problems, some Ukrainian refugees have decided to return home
One of the five fire trucks that the help group Lukraine is planning to send to Ukraine © Photo credit: Gabrielle Antar
Between 5 and 10% of war refugees from Ukraine who came to Luxembourg have decided to head back home despite ongoing fighting, an aid group said on Tuesday, often because they found no place to stay.
“There is a reverse flow of refugees going back to Ukraine [...] due mostly to the housing problem, people do not have a place to stay," Nicolas Zharov, who heads the non-profit group Lukraine said at a press conference.
"Even if there is a war happening right now, they still have a place to sleep there and relatives that need them”.
Since the war began six months ago, the group has found hosts or an accomodation for more than 1000 refugees, or 20% of the total number of Ukrainian refugees that found their way to the Grand-Duchy.
A bus leaves each weekend from the Glacis parking in the city of Luxembourg for Ukrainians to either travel back home, or move to another country if Luxembourg was not their initial destination.
“Most of the refugees, especially women and children, have their husbands that are still in Ukraine. And, of course, they want to go back and be [reunited] like a normal family”, Lukraine Vice President Inna Yaremenko, said.
“Ukrainian refugees who came to Luxembourg, they had no choice. They were obliged to leave because their houses were bombed. Some of them do not want to stay here for the rest of their lives. Most people want to go back to their country, their land and their families,” said Zharov.
Lukraine also showcased other ways it had supported the country after the invasion by Russia. The group has for instance linked the Ukraine police with a Luxembourg company providing 3D scanners called Artec3D, which will help document and prosecute war crimes Russia is committing.
The group is sending five fire trucks to Ukraine, and has already sent 10 ambulances, 13,000 food packages and 770 tonnes of non-perishable food and other essential products there. It has also organised medical trainings to teach people about first aid in conflict areas.
