A Russian living in Romania, Anastasia Stanciu is one of the many volunteers who welcome refugees from Ukraine.
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It is an uninterrupted stream on the border between Ukraine and Romania, which has become one of the entry points hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing the Russian invasion. When they arrive on foot, the refugees are immediately taken care of: accommodation, food, transport, translation.
Anastasia Stanciu is one of the essential interpreters for welcoming new arrivals. A delicate situation for Anastasia, whose Ukrainian interlocutors immediately recognize her accent. ” At first they ask me “you are Russian ?“. I answer “yes i am russian“. So they hope that at least I’m not from Moscow and…surprise!…I’m from Moscow », Says the interpreter. ” And each time the same thing happens: for two minutes they are petrified. Then they start talking… and after 10 minutes they fall into your arms and won’t let you go. »
Anastasia Stanciu was born just under 50 years ago in what was then the Soviet Union. It was out of love, she says, that she settled in Romania, her husband’s country. Now a widow, she works in a non-governmental organization that multiplies ecological, social and cultural projects.
A commitment in the name of which she rushed to the Ukrainian border from the start of the war.“It’s apocalyptic, it’s insane. We people in this world, we can’t let a man do that. »
Why did he do this?
A feeling shared with the Ukrainians whom Anastasia meets at the Siret border post where she spends her days: What is happening does not make sense. And the refugees, when they get in my car here, they ask me “but why did he do that?… why?“…and I don’t have the answer… »
She does not know how long she will stay in this region where civilians fleeing the war are flocking. “ I am here to help you proclaims his black t-shirt designed by Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi. Feet in the snow of this Romanian winter, her thoughts often travel to her loved ones in Russia.
Anastasia Stanciu is indignant as soon as the conversation touches on the power of Vladimir Putin. “ He cleaned up the independent newsroomsshe says, I believe that he has been preparing for what is happening for 2 years. He invested in propaganda like in an army. He invested in brainwashing. »
Piling up sanctions against Russia burst into his life. With the bad news of this friend who is fighting cancer in Moscow and who now fears that she will not be able to be treated as she should. Anastasia also interacts with her mother and sister, who still live in the Russian capital. “ With my sister, we were supposed to meet in Italy, for a short three-day getaway. And now she says to meyou know we’ll imagine it. I’ll send you pictures of the places we were supposed to visit“ “.
Behind the thin strapping of her round glasses, Anastasia’s light blue eyes fill with tears when she evokes this separation. And sadness mixes with anger when she recalls her conversations with her own mother: “ She believes that everything that is happening was organized by the Ukrainians. And you see, that’s why I hate Mr. Putin, because he’s the one who creates this: misunderstanding between family members. Between people who love each other… »