Interviews with two Deaf Ukrainians
Callie Frye, Daily Moth Reporter: There is a war going on in Ukraine and I wonder about what is happening with Deaf Ukrainians? I contacted Aleksandr, who lives in Italy and has a mother and family in Ukraine.
[Image of Aleksandr]
Frye: The second person is Olga. She is in Ukraine and is on the move to leave the country.
[Image of Olga]
Frye: I asked them some questions: What was your first reaction when you found out that war was happening? What were your thoughts and emotions? From Day 1 up to today, what have your experiences been like?
Olga: From that (first) day and up to now, I’m not feeling good. I’m much more emotional and anxious. I can’t say more because you, the viewer, are doing okay, and it was just the same with me in the past. I saw that many countries were at war and I had empathy, yes, but with it happening to me right now, I’m having much more emotions compared with watching the news. When I saw wars in other countries, I would feel sympathy, but now I’m in their shoes. A lot more emotions. These emotions are not good. I’m very worried and very fearful.
Aleksandr: My mother lives in an area about an acre near an apartment building. It was hit with a missile and there was serious wreckage. The apartment office called my mother to tell them that they must leave Kiev. So they’re gone. They’re now staying in the middle of Ukraine.
Olga: I was watching out of my flat (apartment). I saw black cars that drove up fast. They didn’t drive normally. There were three cars. I was focused on them and I wondered what they were doing. It was my first time seeing that. There were about ten to twelve people and I knew they were Ukrainians because they had a yellow armband. That means they’re on our side, Ukraine. They detained a male who then resisted them. After they talked for a bit, the male was let go. I was watching and wondered what they would do next. Maybe someone else. The three cars then pulled up to my flat (apartment). I live on the third floor. When the cars pulled up, I thought they wanted some other hearing person above us. Maybe there was some problem. I was still watching them and saw the Ukrainian soldiers come out. They were carrying rifles. One of them aimed it at the third floor, and I thought it was for something near where I was. I felt afraid and decided that I better leave and stop looking. My mother was watching them. The soldiers went inside of my building. My father felt anxious. We thought it was for some other hearing people. My mother said someone should check the front door to see what was going on. My father walked to the doorhole and felt a bang on the door and it started him. He opened the door and there were about 10 soldiers with rifles surrounding us. My father raised his hands and said “I’m deaf. I’m deaf.” Then my mother came to see what was going on and one of the soldiers pushed his rifle against my mother. My mother was scared and said, “I’m deaf. I can’t hear. I’m deaf.” The soldiers said okay and asked us about someone. They did a gesture of a person with a specific height. I gestured that there were only three of us. The soldiers asked for someone else, but we didn’t know who the person was. They kept on asking for another person. We said we don’t know anything, we’re deaf. They thought we could speak, but we couldn't. The soldiers said okay, and they proceeded to search our rooms. It is the first time I’ve seen anything like that. All of them had rifles. After they searched, they gestured an apology and left quickly. The three cars drove off fast. I didn’t understand why they came to our home.
Frye: Does the Deaf community in Ukraine have access to media and information about the war in a signed language?
Aleksandr: How do deaf people access information? There are Deaf associations that keep us informed across the oblasts (regions). We use the Telegram app to share the information. There is another discussion on how to get to the border to enter Poland, Romania, and other countries. There are five countries that border Ukraine. But there is one major issue for deaf people. With the girls and the women, there are no problems. Also no problems for the young, those up to age 17. For those who are 60 and older, they are allowed to leave. But for deaf males between 18 to 60, they are not allowed to leave. This is because of mandatory conscriptions. But deaf people can’t serve. Many deaf males face barriers. They show their Deaf association membership cards or disability cards and other documentation. Some are still blocked, but some are allowed to leave. This is a very difficult thing. Some say it’s harder at the Poland border, but with other countries, it’s better. It depends on the guards and their decisions. On (Telegram) there are discussions on how to get help. For those in western Ukraine, they are generally okay. But for those in the east, it’s difficult because it’s a long trip.
Frye: Deaf Ukrainians have group chats on the Telegram app that consists of over 7,000 people that discuss things such as safety, how to reach the border, information regarding borders, providing support and sharing information with each other. The most recent information from a deaf association in that group said there were over 36,000 deaf people who fled from Ukraine.
Aleksandr said it is not easy to drive a long distance to leave the country because of limited availability with petrol stations. They are hard to find and although there are few out there, you can only fill up to 20 liters. That’s five gallons. He also said there is a lot of chaos in Ukraine. He never thought Russia would invade Ukraine. He can’t fathom the idea of Ukraine living under the Russian system. He feels very heavy in his heart.
Olga recently let me know that she is now leaving her home and is on the way to Poland. She will then proceed to another country. She said she is grieving leaving her friends, relatives, some who do not have any way to leave. She said it is very painful.
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Frye: Both the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and the European Union of the Deaf (EUD) expressed their support and solidarity with Deaf Ukrainians.
[Screen recordings of tweets from @WFDeaf_Org and @EUD_Brussels expressing support and solidarity with Ukrainians and the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf (USD) @UtogOrg]
Frye: They both outlined their assistance efforts including access to information in a signed language, donations and working closely with a Ukrainian Deaf association called The Ukrainian Society of the Deaf.