Ukrainians who fled war find themselves facing new uncertainty in the Middle East
For some Ukrainians who left their country to escape Russia's full-scale invasion, the sense of safety abroad has once again been shaken – this time in the Middle East.
Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent escalation in the region, airspace disruptions and heightened security measures have left some Ukrainians stranded in the United Arab Emirates, uncertain when they will be able to return home or travel onward.
Ukrainian singer Anastasia Kochetova, known by her stage name Mamarika, said she and her young son are currently stuck in Dubai after traveling there for a short break from the war.
"Friends, my son and I are stuck in Dubai. I brought my child for the first time in three years to rest from the explosions – and they caught up with us here," she wrote on Instagram.
She said that despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, she feels safer at home because she trusts the country's air defense systems.
"At home, with everything going on, we feel much safer because we trust our defenders and air defense. Here we are in a foreign country and don't understand what to expect," she wrote, adding that closed airspace has made it "very difficult" to leave.
Ukrainian PR professional Alexa Govoruha said her family relocated to Dubai six months ago after previously moving from Ukraine to the United Kingdom in 2022.
"And now the danger is near again," she wrote on Facebook.
Govoruha said explosions were heard in the morning, and one Iranian missile was intercepted near her home. Her daughter, who experienced the start of Russia's invasion at age nine, calmly set up her remote school lessons in the bathroom.
"She has known what war is since she was nine and is already hardened by life," Govoruha wrote. "So without unnecessary questions, she quickly arranged her learning space and is attending lessons in the bathroom."
Another Ukrainian in Dubai reflected on the psychological toll of encountering war for a second time.
"Four years and four days ago, the war in Ukraine began. I met it in Kyiv. Today, in Dubai, the story seems to repeat itself, but our internal state is completely different," she wrote, adding that airports are closed and flights suspended.
"Experience changes you. There is no panic – you just do everyday things."
Amid growing uncertainty, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he had received assurances from the government of the United Arab Emirates that Ukrainian citizens in the country would be protected.
"I asked my Emirati colleague to ensure that Ukrainian citizens in the UAE receive the necessary protection and care under the current circumstances," Sybiha wrote on X following a phone call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"I am grateful to His Highness for confirming that the rights of our citizens will be fully protected and that they will receive proper treatment in all aspects," Sybiha added.
Regional airspace restrictions remain in place in parts of the Middle East, disrupting international travel. Ukrainian authorities have advised citizens to monitor official updates and remain in contact with airlines and diplomatic missions as the situation develops.
