Ukrainian Women Rebuild Lives in Andorra After Fleeing War

Three Ukrainian women have rebuilt their lives in Andorra after fleeing the war, navigating fear, loss and the challenges of starting over far from home.

Olena Vahina arrived nearly four years ago with her husband, daughter and dog, having crossed Poland and Germany in search of safety. Originally from the Donbas region, she had already been displaced once in 2014 when fighting first disrupted her life there. The full-scale invasion prompted a final escape. "We had nothing—no information, no destination," she recalled. After 20 days driving in exhaustion, she stopped in Andorra on instinct. "I stayed because I was worn out. I couldn't go further."

Her family regularised their status within weeks, relying heavily on assistance from locals. Vahina began as a waitress, far from her previous work as a hairdresser, but has since returned to her profession, working steadily at one salon for three years. Adaptation proved tougher than expected, she said, beyond just language barriers—understanding daily systems took time. Emotional scars from the war linger, but security remains her top priority.

Anna Stepanenko and Olesia Smirnova, who are related, share a similar path of upheaval. Stepanenko, a lawyer in Kyiv with a stable career, home and family, fled intense bombing that targeted civilians as well as military sites. She left behind her husband, parents and extended relatives, grabbing only essentials like documents and cash.

Smirnova, a languages teacher, woke to explosions at 5am on the war's first day. By 2pm, seeing blasts from her window, she bundled her daughters into the car and drove off, abandoning her ex-husband, son and parents. The five travelled together for nine days through Moldova—lacking passports for some—facing fuel shortages, transport issues and security risks amid fleeing crowds. Volunteers provided critical aid: information, food and money.

They reached Andorra on 5 March 2022, welcomed by relatives. Both volunteered with the Red Cross, sorting and translating medicines for Ukrainian hospitals. Stepanenko now waits tables due to language hurdles—she knows English and French but is learning Catalan and Spanish. Smirnova continues teaching languages to other Ukrainians.

What began as temporary has become permanent. A local Ukrainian resident, Eugeni—who has lived in Andorra since 2010 with his wife and runs a management firm—stepped up as a volunteer translator for immigration, police and social services, aiding new arrivals despite his established life.