Inside a Shelter for Displaced Ukrainians
WARNING: This site contains mature content such as graphic language and depictions of war which may not be suitable for children under 13. Parental discretion advised.
Informed Consent
All the stories here are told with the express consent of the subjects. In many cases photos had to be omitted, and names & locations changed for the protection and privacy of the Ukrainians. While the names have changed, the recounted events are true.
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Budapest at Night
Vitae Ukrainian Refugee Shelter - Budapest, Hungary
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A view of Budapest looking down to the Danube and Hungarian Parliament building (right)
Ukraine and Hungary share a border. Kyiv and Budapest are separated by over 1,000 kilometers, or a 15 hour car drive. The western border town of Astei, Ukraine, is only about 3 hours away from Budapest though. Much of the war has been fought in Kyiv or in Eastern Ukraine in cities such as Kharkiv.
When war broke out in late February 2022, many Ukrainians fled north westward to Poland and Germany. As Poland became overwhelmed, many refugees were diverted south to Slovakia, then Hungary.
Vitae opened their doors soon after the war started, taking in first younger Ukrainians as well as some African students who had been studying abroad in Ukraine. As the war progressed, more families began to arrive. Most nights, Vitae had over 60 beds occupied across multiple dorm rooms.
