Ukrainians who left their country to save their lives as a result of Russia's attack, Russian youth who left their country because they did not see a future, and a Belarusian musician who was banned from singing. All their paths crossed in the same place in Istanbul.
"We barely sat on the train, we heard explosions. We didn't even know if we were able to succeed with escaping, as we had fears that the train would be shelled."
"The Chechens were ordering people to get out of the basement and to kneel, and we heard that they were shooting at those people. They killed everyone who came out."
"When I have free time from work and meetings, I also try to join the volunteer center here. And I plan on continuing to do so until our last war is over.When we are done, me and my wife will go back to Kharkiv."
My mom's friend left Mariupol. She sent me a message that my mother is alive and the house is still preserved. She gets humanitarian help. I don't know anything else.
"We are doing whatever we can for Ukraine. We are helping. Also, we are going to protest. We are donating money for the army and for people who need it."
"We will not return to Russia in any way. We have no reason for us for this. We will stay in Turkey as long as we can."
"I am an activist for the Parnas party. I came to Istanbul on the 28 of March with my husband and three kids. We are looking for a place where we can escape the war and Putin's government following."
"I'm from Moscow. I used to teach philosophy and cultural studies at a university, but I quit my job and left because I didn't feel that it makes sense to try to have a career in a country that has no future."
"I entered Turkey formally as a tourist, but it is some kind of immigration of course. I took part in protest actions such, as demonstrations and I was arrested three times and spent in total."
"I worked in the Minsk philharmonic orchestra for 12 years. One day a KGB agent came to me and said "Take off your costumes and go, You are not allowed to sing," he said."
