Nowadays more and more young Ukrainians are coming to Germany. Many were tired of the war. Someone told their story to FOCUS online.
“Flixbus” business in Ukraine is doing very well recently. The company offers 17 daily departures from Berlin alone to Kyiv. Many young Ukrainians came to Germany because they were afraid of being drawn into the war. Others here will make the short journey home.
Ukrainian citizen in Berlin: Go home to collect documents due to drunkenness
Maksim and his wife Julia (not her real name) were at the terminal to take Maksim’s mother to the bus. He was going to his old homeland for a few days. “Nobody wants to know what he went through. He lived in Kharkiv for years, hiding from Russian bombs.”
Maksim and Julia’s family speaks Russian, like many people from eastern Ukraine. Maksim came to Germany one day before the start of the war. Since then, he has not dared to go home because the man, who is now 32 years old, will be involved in the war.
“I want to see my four children grow up,” Maksim said. The couple have children between the ages of four and eleven. “That’s why I won’t fight.” Her sister didn’t want to either. He is 22 years old and has just arrived in Germany.
Hiding from recruiting troops
His brother had to hide from the “TCR” – “Territorial Recruitment Center”, the Ukrainian government recruitment force. They crisscrossed the entire country and looked for deserters, Maksim claims. Now he is happy because his sister is safe in Berlin.
Merz did this against the backdrop of the fact that the number of young Ukrainians entering the country more than doubled from June to September since the country’s government allowed 18 to 22 year olds to leave the country.
“He can say it well,” commented claimant Maksim Merz. “But who really wants to die in war? I will not fight.”
Maksim has not yet visited the job center
Maksim and Julia do not want to return to Ukraine. He was a tire fitter there, but “I didn’t want that job anymore,” he said. So far, the family of six has been living off local people’s money. But they know that this is changing.
“If they stop citizens’ money, that’s fine,” Maksim said, adding: “Germany has done more for us than Ukraine.” He wanted to become a roofer or learn another trade. He still hasn’t visited the job center. “That’s not necessary,” he said, “we’re fine with the residents’ money.”
Receiving benefits from citizens is easier than letting cats into the country
In a few days, Maksim’s mother will return. He is now also registered in Berlin. And he would take the cat with him if everything went well. He would not travel on the “Flixbus” because they do not allow animals, Maksim said.
“But he still needs papers to allow the cat to enter the country,” he reported. This is also true: receiving citizenship benefits seems easier for Ukrainians than letting cats into the country.
