Rachel Caklos for NP-UN.
Life in Ukraine before the war was normal. Children playing in the local parks and attending school was a common occurrence. People in the major cities went to work without worrying about what was happening overhead or waiting to hear whether their families were safe.
Ukrainians are facing trials and challenges every day that many cannot understand. In February 2022, the world saw Ukrainians walk for hours to the borders, hoping to escape the horrors of Russian aggression. Many youth have faced the question of whether to remain with their families hoping that they lived far enough West or to leave Ukraine with hopes to one day return and rebuild their beloved country.
Yurii Tsybulskyi is a 23-year-old Ukrainian who grew up having a normal childhood. Yurii studied and completed a Bachelor of Law at the West Ukrainian National University. As a student, he was strongly engaged in various legal groups and attended many events, particularly organized by ELSA. ELSA, the European Law Students’ Association, hosted many events such as inviting international law firms to connect with students. Yurii competed in various legal competitions and won an opportunity to be interviewed by partners of an international firm with an office in Kyiv. Despite not achieving a position within the firm, he remained connected with their HR department and kept in contact with them for future possibilities. Within a few months, Yurii successfully achieved a internship, resulting in a job opportunity. However, with the outbreak of the war, his contract was never signed. The country’s focus shifted towards the war and protecting its population.
Yurii was in Kyiv at the time of the outbreak of war. He was awakened in the early morning by calls from his family ensuring he was safe. For many, shock and disbelief continue to be at the forefront of their minds with the war’s unpredictability. Many people were afraid for their families and their well-being. Yurii returned to his hometown, Ternopil, where he stayed for several months with his family amidst the beginning of the war. As Ternopil is a city situated further West, he and his family were safe, yet still experienced waking from the sounds of air raid sirens and the constant worry of what was going to happen next.
In April 2022, visa schemes emerged in countries all around the world for Ukrainians to relocate and work. Before, Ukrainians needed a visa to travel to many countries, including the UK, however, the response to the war has allowed individuals to open their homes to housing Ukrainians. Yurii was looking particularly at the UK as it was one of the first countries to develop these schemes for Ukrainians in response to the war. He was the only member of his family who decided to leave at that time and with his particular circumstances, he was able to do so legally. On February 24th, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enforced a travel ban on the male population between the ages of 18-60, restricting their leaving the country, however, exceptions are made for medical conditions. Yurii fell within this exception with an eye condition from childhood that required multiple surgeries. With the legal documentation to support his medical history, he was free to leave the country, however, he still faced complications.
“I had to leave my family. It was a hard decision to make.” Yurii expressed that if the war had not taken place, he would not have left Ukraine. His parents were both able to leave Ukraine due to no restrictions on their travel, however, they chose to remain. Despite potential challenges and an uncertain future, Yurii was set to leave Ukraine with a plan to return in the near future and bring his connections and passion back to rebuilding the country.
“The transition and move from Ukraine wasn’t easy and quite tough.” Yurii called the governmental border office to verify that he had everything he needed to ensure his ability to cross the border. However, the border is where Yurii faced his greatest challenge. He was denied from passing the border into Poland. Yurii provided all of the required legal documents for his condition, however, was turned away on May 4th, 2022. From his personal experience of crossing the border, Yurii expressed, “Unfortunately at that time, you could have all of the legal reasons and documentation, but they could say no at the border for any reason on some occasions.”
After a long day of travelling on the bus and a crushing refusal from the border officers, Yurii realized that he had a better chance of attempting to cross at a new border point. However, with such a large border and no car, he relied upon the kindness of a truck driver to give him a ride up North where he was dropped a kilometer away from Lviv. “I was very lucky.” Shortly after his arrival, Yurii came across a bus service that transported people over the border to the nearest city in Poland. On May 8th, Yurii tried again and ran into another barrier. The border officers requested further documents to prove his ability to leave Ukraine. These demands were beyond what was legally necessary to provide. However, with multiple phone calls to the border authority and a closer look at Yurii’s documents, he was allowed through and was on his way to the United Kingdom.
His journey began in Poland where he travelled by train to Germany, then Paris and finally taking the Eurostar to London. Yurii arrived in the UK on a special visa and sponsorship scheme called Homes for Ukraine. He resided in central London where the kindness of a stranger opening his home to Yurii supported him in his new journey in London. He managed to settle comfortably in the city where he found an opportunity at Baker and Partners as a paralegal while simultaneously completing a pre-LLM online program at the Chicago-Kent College of Law in the United States. This program continued till May 2023 and by that time, he became accustomed to the city and its lively pace. With these experiences and developed connections, Yurii received an offer from the same employer to relocate to their head office in Jersey, while simultaneously completing an LLB through the University of London, extended to The Institute of Law. Excited by this new opportunity, Yurii accepted and began school alongside his work as a part-time paralegal in September 2023.
Jersey has become another home for Yurii, but “nothing can change your true home and mine is Ukraine.” Yurii recognized the many differences that Jersey posed to the life he knew in London and Ukraine. However, he was ready to take on the discomfort of being in a new place and making the most of everything it had to offer. As a student, Yurii has re-engaged his participation with ELSA. Since being in Ukraine, he has seen great value in how it connects like-minded students and has worked through various positions to see what great things can be achieved through passionate student initiatives. Over the past year, Yurii has been elected to become the newest ELSA UK President. In this position, he will bring like-minded groups of students together to reinforce communities with compassion and confidence to make positive changes and inspire the new generation of lawyers. ELSA is known as an organization that stands behind a ‘world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity.’
When asked about Ukraine and what he wants people to take from the war, Yurii expressed that the world should invest in Ukraine’s potential. As a country that shows great strength within its industries, institutions and culture, Ukraine continues to champion freedom and democracy within its nation and strives for an independent future in which it can flourish.
Ukraine’s future is in the hands of its youth. From education to fostering a caring community that gives back and rejects Russian crimes against humanity. It is hoped that Ukrainians return to Ukraine once the war is done, rebuilding the country’s economic, political and social sectors. However, this cannot be done alone. With a world that strives to stand with Ukraine, it is clear that external investment in its people, production and culture is crucial. Ukraine is and has always been a strong country with citizens who foster resilience, determination and strength. As the war continues, Ukraine remains resilient and defends itself with the strength of its people and the nations that stand with it.
“It’s an investment in democracy and support for a country that brings great potential for the wider world.”
I’d like to thank Yurii Tsybulskyi for his time sharing his story and his passionate involvement in ELSA, the organization with which we connected. I wish you all the best. For more information on ELSA, please see the links below:
Official website: https://elsauk.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elsauk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsa.uk?igsh=MTliYThwN2ZmYm40ag==
Rachel Caklos is the winner of Ukrainian Credit Union Limited’s New Pathway Journalism Fellowship
The post A story of modern life for Ukrainian Youth appeared first on New Pathway Ukrainian News | Новий Шлях Українські Вісті.