Viktoria’s family woke to the sound of explosions

It was the first morning of the Russian invasion,

“when they started landing their troops, and bombing the Hostomel Airport.”

Satellite Imagery © Maxar Technologies

“I was at the volunteer line and helped people who have Jewish roots escape.”

Viktoria is now a former employee of the Jewish Agency in Ukraine.

During the attack she says,

During the attacks in Bucha, their hometown, the family sheltered underground.

"[We] put ‘children’ stickers on the car, tied white fabric on the mirrors," and left the occupied city.

Viktoria, her husband, three daughters and chihuahua, made the drive from Bucha to Lviv.

Ukraine

Romania

Moldova

Hungary

Poland

Buses provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel were taking Ukrainian Jews on a daily basis from Lviv to border countries

In total, it took  from her family’s arrival in Poland to board a flight bound for Israel.

9 days

Viktoria's says her family's eligibility screening for Israeli citizenship was "easy".

The Druzenkos stayed in a government-funded hotel in Jerusalem for one month

and then for an additional month with funding provided by their new immigrant benefits.

In the third month they moved into an apartment in the Ramat Rachel neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Ramat Rachel, Jerusalem

Viktoria says her family has been supported at every stage of resettlement in Israel.