March 15, 2022
News
Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ludmila Čiževská worked as an accountant and a lecturer at one of the universities in Zhytomyr. As the chairwoman of the Zhytomyr Association of Volhynian Czechs, she organized an evacuation to the Czech Republic. Ludmila did not plan to leave the country herself, but her husband insisted and she left together with her daughter. Find more about their journey in the interview.
Can you describe your journey from Ukraine to the Czech Republic?
I was involved in organizing the evacuation of the Volhynian Czechs from Zhytomyr, where I live with my family. I am the chairwoman of the Zhytomyr Association of Volhynian Czechs, my mother's family comes from Hradec Králové, so the decision for us to go here was quite clear. The journey took us a day and a half, but that can be considered a pretty fast journey by today's standards. In total, three buses were coming. One used the border crossing at Chop, the other two went via Uzhhorod to Slovakia and from there to the Czech Republic.
I have to appreciate the kindness of the people at the border crossings. They allowed children without passports and permission from their fathers to cross the border. When your dad is fighting in the war, it is hard to get his signature for such a document.
As one of the people who organized the evacuation, did you have more than one route to get out of the shelled Zhytomyr?
I was in contact with the drivers, the police and I read the reports to know which route was the safest for us. But in such a situation no one can tell you: yes, it will be safe this way. Every meter of the road is a risk. We were hearing sirens and receiving messages on our phones about what was going on. It was challenging.
What problems did you encounter in organising the evacuation and the journey itself?
It was mainly organisational problems. It was risky as the buses were full of mothers with children. We were worried about how we were going to manage. However, we organised the evacuation in consultation with the Czech Ministry of the Interior and the Czech and Slovak police, so we were well prepared.
It was difficult to find the bus drivers because many of them had been drafted. When we did find some, they could only take us to the border, because they would not let them go any further. When we found a driver, they called us that the gas station had been bombed. We had to improvise. But thanks to the previous activities of the Volhynian Czechs, I had contacts with Czech agencies. I would like to thank everyone who offered help with the transportation. In the end, we jumped on the offer of the governor of the Central Bohemia region.
Did your family travel with you?
My 10-year-old daughter came with me. My mother is also in the Czech Republic. In general, the buses were evacuating people from the compatriot association through which they knew about the even. I know them because we work together to maintain Czech traditions in Ukraine. Part of my family had already left the country before, few other members are preparing to leave as well.
Are you in daily contact with the part of your family that remains in the country? Is that even possible in this situation?
Yes, fortunately, we are still connected, including the internet connection. If not, that would be a big problem for us. We get messages from them every day. On Monday, another bus left Malyn and when it arrived at the border in the evening, the people there received news that the town they left early had already been destroyed.
At the same time, the husbands back home are asking us to send them photos of everyday life so that they can have contact with a world that is not at war. So we sent them pictures of us taking the children to feed the swans. They liked it, they said the park was better than a bunker.
What was your opinion on the situation before the invasion? Did you suspect something similar could happen?
I was not that surprised because we were getting some analytical information. The evidence was there. But we did not want to believe it. There was a hope that both parties would still come to an agreement and that the war could be prevented. It's in our human nature to believe that everything will turn out well.
Do you remember the moment you found out about the invasion?
I was at home. We heard the airbase Zhytomyr was being bombed. On the first day, we heard mainly the bombing, and on the second day, we heard military planes around. Zhytomyr is a militarily important strategic point. We got to the stage where we were oriented by the sounds around us – what is a rocket, a bomb or a plane. These are not the usual sounds you hear around the airport.
Was your decision to leave the country quick or did you think about it for a long time?
Although I was organizing the evacuation, I did not want to leave the country. But my husband told me to go with my daughter. He pushed me to get on board. I just packed the essentials into the small bag I usually take with me to the swimming pool. In the end, I decided to go because of my daughter. As a parent, you put your children first. And our husbands feel more at ease now that they know we are safe. Upon arrival, I received text messages from the men who stayed there. They were grateful and said that it is easier for them to focus on winning the war now.
You were active in community life as the chairwoman of the Zhytomyr Association of Volhynian Czechs. Do you plan to get involved in similar activities here in the Czech Republic as well?
Definitely. We are trying to coordinate the help we receive here within the association. We help Ukrainian refugees to adapt here. Many of them also need information support regarding visas, registration or health insurance. Later on, they will also need help finding work. At the same time, we are focusing on programmes for children to get them used to their new environment.
I would also like to thank the Czech people and the local organizations because they help us a lot and we know that almost every Czech is involved in some way, whether it is by collecting for Caritas, at the embassy or otherwise. Even the small things, like the Ukrainian flag on the tram or the National Museum building. This is support not only for us here but also for the people in Ukraine. We are very encouraged and we appreciate it very much.
