Two stories of encounters between Ukrainians and Russians in the Diaspora. In Abu Dhabi Ukrainians and Russians encounter each other, leading to tensions. In Uzbekistan, refugees who are both Russian and Ukrainian, find each other for solace and mutual help and rebuilding.
Julia Tymoshenko is a Ukrainian reporter, communications expert, and marketing executive. She studied at the Abu Dhabi and New York City campuses of New York University, where she studied social and public policy. Her research led her to do ethnographic fieldwork in Abu Dhabi, which allowed her to observe Ukrainians there, and their relations with Russians.
YouTube vlogger Konstantin Samoiyov was a successful professional in Russia where he lived with his family until he left, last fall. He fled when mobilization was announced to recruit Russians as soldiers for the invasion of Ukraine. He tells the story of how refugees face losing everything. Samoilov started and leads the Tashkent International Breakfast Club, which regularly brings together hundreds of people at a cafe in the capital of Uzbekistan to help each other rebuild their lives.