The woman who refuses to let war define her
When you step into a Refugee Accommodation Centre in Chișinău, Moldova’s capital, the first thing you notice is the stillness. Not an absence of life, but a silence filled with waiting. Waiting to be seen, to be heard, to belong once more. Victoria Logvinova is waiting, too. Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, now 83 years old, Victoria has spent more than half a century in the world of music. A conductor, a professor, a woman who dedicated her life to guiding orchestras and shaping generations of musicians—Victoria never imagined she would ever have to leave her home. But in February 2022,...
A first step toward safety: monitoring at Moldova’s borders
Every day, Ukrainians fleeing war and uncertainty cross into Moldova at the Palanca border crossing, one of the country’s two main entry points from Ukraine. Even three years since the war’s escalation, while the initial waves of arrivals have decreased, families continue to arrive here each day – mothers with young children, persons with disabilities, grandparents, and lone teenagers carrying their lives in a few bags. Many step into Moldova exhausted, holding onto little more than the hope for safety. But for most, the next steps are unclear. That’s where Mihai and his colleagues from the...
The little things that keep people going: Larysa’s story
Larysa, 60, arrived in Moldova in March 2022 after a long and exhausting journey. She and her husband made the difficult decision to leave Kyiv when they saw a tank near their home. Now, more than three years later, she has built a life in Chisinau, embracing each day with happiness. “I find Moldovans and Ukrainians very similar in their values. That’s why I felt almost at home here in such a short time,” Larysa shares. Shortly after arriving, she secured legal status through Temporary Protection. With the support of the European Union, she also began receiving cash assistance from UNHCR,...
Statement by UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi on the impact of global aid cuts on refugees
GENEVA – Brutal funding cuts in the humanitarian sector are putting millions of lives at risk. The consequences for people fleeing danger will be immediate and devastating: Refugee women and girls at extreme risk of rape and other abuse are already losing access to services that kept them safe. Children are being left without teachers or schools, pushing them into child labour, trafficking, or early marriage. Refugee communities will have less shelter, water and food. Most refugees stay close to home. Slashing aid will make the world less safe, driving more desperate people to become...
Life goes on: A mother’s story of finding safety in Moldova and move forward
Natalia was on maternity leave from her job as a hairdresser in Odesa, Ukraine, when her world was turned upside down. In February 2022, as the full-scale invasion began, her quiet life with her young son was shattered by the sound of explosions. “At six in the morning, the bombing and shelling started. By the afternoon, we saw missiles flying in all directions. We were really scared,” she recalls. With no choice but to flee, Natalia gathered her things and made the difficult journey to Moldova. Crossing the border brought an overwhelming sense of relief. “As soon as we entered Moldova,...
FEBRUARIE 2022: ECOURI – Commemorating three years of war and resilience
Chisinau, Moldova, 24 February 2025 – To mark the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the National Museum of Art of Moldova present FEBRUARIE 2022: ECOURI by Valeria Duca, an art exhibition which will open on 24 February 2025, at the National Museum of Art in Chisinau. This exhibition offers a space for reflection on the ongoing refugee situation in Moldova and underscores the unity between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, and the strength of their people. Since February 2022, more than 6 million people have fled Ukraine, the...