Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, a slew of young Ukrainian women have turned to TikTok to document the realities of life in a war zone.
While the war has been the catalyst for some to chronicle their experiences on the social media platform, others have pivoted from crypto recommendations and wellness content, to the emotional turbulence of life as a refugee.
The home-made footage offers a personal insight into the challenges faced by those fleeing, including hours spent waiting for transport, answering questions about their lives in Ukraine, and their transition to life in a new country.
Here are some of the TikTok users using social media to document their rapidly-changing lives.
A prominent voice on TikTok, @valerisssh often uses humour to document her experience of life in a war zone and, now, as a refugee.
She has posted videos of her and her family in a bomb shelter, where she describes the basics of life, such as cooking and showing followers around her “five star hotel”.
@valerisssh has also chronicled her journey from Poland to Italy, where she is currently staying with a host family.
@markchrs has used TikTok to document their life in a refugee camp in Hannover, Germany.
In addition to showing followers what the facilities are like, they have also been chronicling their encounters with German food and the German language.
They reveal that while they have no curfew at the refugee camp and can come and go as they please, they have “special camp IDs” that they must scan upon their return.
Nataly made a name for herself documenting her life close to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, but is now using TikTok to share her experiences of life under siege in the far north of Ukraine.
Diana shared an emotional video of her separating from her father on 28 February, which quickly went viral. It has now been seen by almost 20m people.
The 19-year-old has shared her experience of fleeing to Bucharest in Romania and the emotional impact of leaving her friends, family and pets behind.
Videos shared to TikTok include video calls with her father and Google Maps shots that show her looking at the distance between her current location and her home.
Until recently, Kristina offered advice and information on cryptocurrencies. Now, she is using TikTok to offer an intimate look into life on the ground in Kyiv, including queuing for food at grocery stores and driving around the city to the sound of air raid sirens.
Valerie has drawn stark comparisons between her life before and after the war, with a video showing her working out and enjoying holidays, in contrast to her life as a refugee. Currently in a Romanian refugee camp, she shared that residents were given a small concert and a gift for International Women’s Day.
To find out more about The Independent’s Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.
