Ukrainian Refugees in Los Angeles
For The Guardian, I photographed and interviewed six Ukrainian families who fled the war in Ukraine and moved to Los Angeles. Upon arriving, they began the hard journey of finding work, learning a new language, building community and regaining a sense of peace. Some have found successes, new friends and new careers. Some long to return home. They all still face uncertainty — these are their stories.
Photo editor: Gail Fletcher
Text editor: Charlotte Simmonds
I was responsible for photography, writing, interviews, and translation.
Read 'More good days than bad': the Ukrainian refugees rebuilding their lives in California
Nataliya Zhuk
From Kyiv
Sergii Zhuk teaches his mother how to drive near their home in Los Angeles. Ukraine has a robust public transportation system, so many immigrants from Ukraine have to learn to drive for the first time.
Nataliya Zhuk in an English as an Second Language class at Culver City Adult School. She has formed a close bond with several of her classmates thanks to her knowledge of Spanish.
Nataliya and Sergii Zhuk, in the apartment Nataliya shares with another Ukrainian woman who fled the war. Being financially dependent on her son is an unfamiliar feeling for her. In Ukraine, she was an engineer who provided for herself and helped support relatives.
Nataliya and Sergii Zhuk have borsh for dinner at home in Los Angeles.
“We were certain Ukraine would win in early 2023. I planned to be home by spring.”
–Nataliya Zhuk
Nataliya Zhuk poses for a portrait in her new home in Los Angeles.
Dmytro Fedotov
From Kharkiv
When Dmytro Fedotov and his wife Anna fled Kharkiv via a humanitarian corridor, they planned to go to western Ukraine for a few days — maybe weeks — just long enough for the 'situation' in Kharkiv to resolve. After he lost his wife to a heart attack and pulmonary embolism during the multi-day drive from Kharkiv, his son and daughter-in-law insisted on him moving in with them in Los Angeles.
Dmytro Fedotov flips through his ESL textbook in his room. He misses waking up in the morning and seeing the floral molding on the ceiling of his longtime home in Kharkiv. He says his soul is split between Ukraine and his new home in California.
“Confidence in the future is one of the necessary conditions for a happy life. In Kharkiv, I had confidence in tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.”
–Dmytro Fedotov
Dmytro at home in Redondo Beach, California, where he lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and their young family. Fedotov feels like a guest in an unfamiliar country.
Dmytro Fedotov in a fitness class for seniors at Long Beach senior center. The staff at its Healthy Aging Center was already familiar with the challenges refugees face, based on their experience assisting other refugee communities in the city, and connected Dmytro with a myriad of services.
Sofiia Sapozhnik
From Kyiv
Sofiia Sapozhnik babysitting for her relatives’ friends.
“The first week after I came here, I had very difficult dreams. Then I started to explain to myself that everything was okay and that the airplanes were carrying people, not bombs.”
–Sofiia Sapozhnik
Sofiia Sapozhnik works in food service at night while pursuing her associate degree in cinema production.
Sapozhnik’s emotions were a rollercoaster and at the beginning, she had more bad days than good. Then she started paying attention to the good things and telling herself: ‘Everyone is treating me well; I’m being given a roof over my head; I’m accepted; everyone understands the situation.’ The good days became more frequent than the bad. Nevertheless, she also felt a lot of guilt living in peace in Los Angeles.
Misha Nefedov and Oksana Nefedova
From Dnipro
Misha Nefedov found his time in the US difficult. He missed his girlfriend, friends and life in his native Dnipro. He did not want to enroll in school in LA because he spoke very little English, and knew he would not be able to finish his final year of high school in English. The loneliness was particularly difficult, as he didn’t have any friends his age in LA.
Oksana Nefedova and son Misha stand for a portrait in Glendale, California where they found refuge from the war with Misha’s older sister and her family.
Misha Nefedov carries with him a photo that his girlfriend took of the two of them in Ukraine.
“It was our last summer before going to college. There’s usually some sort of party, fun activities. Now there’s nothing.”
–Misha Nefedov
For Oksana Nefedova, there was nothing more important than helping her son get into a university, even if it meant returning to Ukraine. Misha and his mother returned to Dnipro for the benefit of his education in March 2023.
Misha Nefedov takes in the view of Glendale and Burbank on a hike. He would like to visit the US once he's further along in his education.
Oksana Nefedova and son Misha at the apartment building where they were staying with relatives. They found difficulties in starting a new life in LA: language barriers, a lack of mobility due to not having a car or driver’s licenses, limited job opportunities, and a crowded living situation with relatives.
Dima, Katya and Sofia Pastukh
Pavlo Mamalyha and Veronika Biletska
From Odesa and Kyiv
Dima Pastukh and daughter Sofia call his grandmother in Germany from their new home in Los Angeles.
Pavlo Mamalyha and Veronika Biletska stand for a portrait.
Pavlo Mamalyha and Veronika Biletska go shopping at Odessa Grocery in West Hollywood where they can find Ukrainian staples such as herring, pickles, farmer's cheese, and other items unavailable at other markets.
Dima and Katya Pastukh have dinner with daughter Sofia.
The two families had dinner together most nights for the more than a year they spent living together. In December of last year, they moved out into separate apartments but remained in the same building. Dinner includes potatoes, herring, tomato salad with dill, and pickled summer squash — all foods the two families are used to eating at home in Ukraine.