Apr 6, 2022 4 min read

Ukrainian social worker Olena Banas was forced to leave her home country, as well as the city she has called home for the last 20 years.

It’s just one of many stories of the attack of Ukraine by Russia.

Banas, who turned 40 in February, was the guest speaker Tuesday via Zoom as part of California University of Pennsylvania’s “Social Work Lunch and Learn” program.

On Feb. 24, Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict that began in 2014. It is the largest military attack in Europe since World War II.

Banas was evacuated to Barcelona, Spain (from where she spoke Tuesday), shortly after her birthday on Feb. 21 as reports started to circulate that attacks were on the horizon.

“We heard the news that some kind of terrorist attacks were coming,” Banas said. “The tension was really high at that moment. We had that feeling of (being) threatened and danger just next to Ukraine in February. No one could even imagine the huge scale of this event.”

She found herself living in a country in which she had never been.

Spain, like many countries in Europe, has served as a place where Ukrainian refugees have emerged.

Banas said there are more than 4 million refugees from the Ukraine in Europe, while there are more than 6 million displaced people in the country of Ukraine. She added that 80% of the refugees are women and children. That’s because all adult males are not permitted to leave the country due to military obligations.

Those in Spain have received temporary asylum, which grants residency for up to a year.

Banas is a social worker with 20 years of experience in HIV/AIDS prevention, social researching and community-based interventions for stigma prevention for vulnerable youths. Her social work continues as she has volunteered to work with women and children affected by the country’s invasion by Russia.

“My job is to work in service to others, to go with my clients and groups,” Banas said.

She has received help from support groups and a mentor as she continues to deal with the trauma as well.

Banas talked about fellow countrymen going through stress because their way of life has been destroyed.

“Some have lost members of the family,” Banas explained. “Some are experiencing really severe problems. They have faced bombing and have lost houses and apartments and a place to live in. It’s total occupation. That means none of your personal belongings are going to be where you left them. Probably, your house, your apartment or residential building, no longer exists. The town is no longer there. Why? Because of bombing.”

Banas did say a number of family members have remained in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, which is on the border with Poland. She has kept in contact with them regularly, mainly through texts.

“They live there, and they don’t want to go across the border,” she said. “So, they stay in Lviv.”

She does not know when she’ll be able to return to her home country, but figures it will be at least six months to a year.

Banas said people can help in many ways with humanitarian aid and funding, being aware of what is going on and offering support to local Ukrainians or those who may have relatives in Ukraine.

“Everything was taken from Ukrainians,” she said. “Maybe there is something deeper and bigger, because (Joseph) Stalin was a dictator who created an event which took millions of lives of Ukrainians. (Vladimir) Putin is the dictator who created an event which is taking thousands at the moment, and I hope the numbers are not going to get bigger.

“Likely, this tragedy is not about power and it’s not about terrorism. Likely, it’s a strategy to get rid of Ukrainians.”