Members of NZ's Russian community abused over Ukraine invasion

Some members of New Zealand’s Russian-speaking community have reported being bullied, abused and made to feel responsible for Russia’s war on Ukraine.

As the conflict in the Eastern European nation deepens - leaving many innocent people dead and injured - global outrage has grown, against what many in the west consider to be an unjust war.

These tensions have seen some take their anger out on the Russian community in different parts of the world.

Here in New Zealand a Russian Orthodox church was vandalised, a business in Christchurch had its window defaced, a Russian singer has had shows cancelled, and children have been bullied, made to feel ashamed of their cultural heritage.

These stories have seen Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon call for Kiwis to be more understanding of the turmoil many expats are going through.

“We know the Ukrainians and the Russians living here in New Zealand are feeling the pain of what’s happening with the war in Ukraine at the present time, and we ask all of our communities to be considerate, to be respectful and to be kind.”

1News spoke to a number of those Russian speakers who have felt discriminated against since the war broke out. But most were too afraid to speak about their experience, for fear it will lead to further stigmatisation and abuse.

Mila Hays moved to New Zealand from Russia 17 years ago. She worries about how she’ll be perceived by others now because of the war in Russia.

Her family and friends have also shared their stories of being abused with her. Some have lost friends, and many feel as if they are being blamed for the war.

“I don't want to be judged on anything that's based back in Russia, that it’s doing to a different country,” she says. “I feel for Ukraine, and I feel for the Russian people. It’s quite sad to hear people unleashing hate on each other because of what politicians are doing.”

She says many Russians are opposed to the war - but expressing that opposition especially in Russia itself is not easy.

“Nobody wants war,” she says. “[But] living in Russia and raising your voice, it’s just non existent. If you do raise your voice, you will be punished. No-one is going to stand up for you.”

Since the war broke out Russians in the Eurasian nation took to the streets of Moscow, St Petersburg and dozens of other cities to express their desire for peace. This led to mass arrests, many forced to pay a fine, or spend a few weeks behind bars.

On Friday Russia passed new laws that could see anyone deemed to be spreading “fake news” about the war jailed for 15 years.

Human Rights Watch’s Hugh Williamson says the new laws are part of Russia’s efforts to “suppress all dissent and make sure the population does not have access to any information that contradicts the Kremlin’s narrative”.

Protests here in New Zealand have been joined by Russians who expressed their distaste for the war, and Putin’s actions. Cries such as “Putin is not Russia” were heard from those in the crowd.

It was a show of solidarity between Russians and Ukranians who have been unwillingly drawn into a war- a war that’s driving a wedge between peoples who have been closely linked for centuries.

Ukraine translates to Borderlands - reflecting its modern day position between East and West. But its shared history with Russia dates back to Kyivan Rus - the first Slavic state back in the Middle Ages.

Ukraine’s modern day capital - Kyiv was seen as the “Mother of Rus”.

Jars Balan is the former director of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian studies at the University of Alberta. He says the former state is commonly seen as the birthplace of Ukrainian and Russian civilisation.

Despite their borders changing significantly, the ancient state’s legacy is still visible in Russia and Ukraine today.

“There are many people in Ukraine, who have family members in Russia, who have lots of intermarriages,” Balan says. “There is an ethnic Russian population of Ukrainians that speak Russian and have a strong part of the Russian culture as well.”

But he says the war is changing that: “It’s going to take a long time to restore normal relations between Russians and Ukrainians.”

The tensions are particularly difficult for those like Sergey Permitin whose heritage is connected to both nations; and who has relatives who know too well the horrors of war.

“We as humans are just against war,” he says. “Our grandfathers and grandmothers survived suffering from the Second World War, we know how it was.”

The Russian-Ukrainian, who now calls Auckland home, is desperately hoping for peace between his two nations.

“I can not see from a side, I’m just one - a Ukrainian-Russian.”