Between Two Worlds: A Ukrainian War Refugee’s Story of Life Abroad and Return

According to the Center for Economic Strategy, as of early 2026, 5.6 million Ukrainian war refugees remain abroad, with the majority sheltering in Europe and only about 5% in the United States.

For some, the legal opportunity to start life abroad from scratch was a long-held dream; others never sought it but none of them wanted to leave Ukraine under these circumstances — because of war.

Many of them live abroad with the feeling of being an outsider both to those who remained under bombardment in Ukraine and to those in their new country who cannot understand what it means to live under fire. They are Schrödinger’s cat — simultaneously here, there, and nowhere.

This text is the personal story of the author’s escape from the war and her return to Ukraine.