Operation Identity
This is the story of three Ukrainian refugees who are forced to grapple with the importance of their national identity because of relocation. Anastasiia, a young artist, is choosing to let go of her roots to try and numb the pain of war. Meanwhile, Lisa and Alla, two workers at a refugee centre, have decided to go in the opposite direction and focus their efforts on traditions and language to keep in touch with their culture.
But what happens to your sense of identity when you have to flee your country?
Anastasiia Todorova is 29 years old. She was born in Odessa, a city located in the south of Ukraine. After the beginning of the full-scale invasion and due to the constant shelling, she moved to Vienna. Anastasiia does not often call her friends and family because the traumatic experience of leaving the country is too painful to keep in touch with her home. So she sublimates her feelings into her art, such as dancing and painting. The video describes the key moments of her current state, at the crossroads of understanding her identity and accepting the current reality and Austrian culture.
What is identity?
Alla Kruhla was born in Russia, but she has lived in Ukraine for more than 50 years and considers it her homeland. Her children still live in Svitlovodsk, in central Ukraine. She moved to Vienna at the end of 2022. Here she was accepted by a host family who show a positive attitude. Alla likes to give gifts to refugees from Ukraine and volunteers in the kitchen of the organization Train of Hope. She says that by helping, she feels connected to her homeland. In the video, she recalls Ukrainian traditions and is nostalgic for her home and family.
How does being a refugee affect your sense of identity?
Lisa Bilyavska is 43 years old. She moved from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Now Lisa teaches Ukrainian to children and believes that it is very important to be fluent especially since they are in Austria. Lisa sees many similarities in the values of Austrian society, which protects its personal borders and does not try to seize what is not theirs. Ukrainians who are now defending their homeland do the same, she says in the video.
Iryna Zudova is 49 years old. She moved to Austria in 2019, to join her family that already moved here after Russia invaded Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukrainians here feel very isolated and lonely. They are separated from their families who stayed back in Ukraine. -Iryna
The video describes how Iryna wants to create a new image of Ukraine and Ukrainian people abroad, so she founded the library to promote national culture. For her this is a way to keep close to their roots.
How do you see the future?
Anastasiia sees herself slowly letting go of her ties to Ukraine. The more time she spends in Austria the less remains from her past. Her homeland is associated with a lot of pain and anguish, and so she is unsure if she will ever return. For now, she is letting her feelings guide her future.
Alla can’t imagine ever feeling at home in Austria. Even though she was born in Russia, Ukraine occupies an undisputed spot in her heart. Her children are still living in Ukraine, and she hopes that one day, when the war is over, she will be able to return.
Lisa’s number one concern is the safety of her children. As much as she wants to stay in touch with her Ukrainian culture, she will remain a refugee until the foreseeable future.