‘This country gave me a lot’: the Vietnamese people staying in Ukraine

Tung Nguyen took action when Russia invaded Ukraine. He transported his parents from their house in Chernihiv and moved them to the Polish border. Afterwards, he volunteered to assist the citizens of besieged Chernihiv by distributing food and medication. Soon after, he made the decision to enlist in the Ukrainian military and fight for his country.

Nguyen belongs to the Vietnamese section of Ukraine which is a significant but often unnoticed group within the region. A considerable number of Vietnamese individuals departed Ukraine following the Russian intrusion, however, some decided to remain, particularly the younger population. A lot of them were born in Ukraine and are regarded as Ukrainian citizens.

Nguyen grew up in Hanoi with his grandparents. However, when he turned 18, he relocated to Chernihiv to be with his parents. While in Kyiv, he pursued his education and took on the challenge of learning Russian. As a fitness trainer and bodybuilder, he worked diligently and was eventually bestowed with the title of all-Ukraine champion in 2019. Consequently, he was granted citizenship, enabling him to compete for Ukraine on an international level.

During a Skype interview from his location at an army base, he expressed that he has received numerous benefits from Ukraine such as education, employment opportunities, and even finding a life partner who is Ukrainian. He believes that Ukraine has become more than just a second home to him, but rather it is his true homeland now.

In May of last year, he sustained injuries while trying to save his wounded friends during the Ukrainian withdrawal from Bakhmut, which occurred during the night. He suffered cuts and extensive internal bleeding when he was hit by incoming artillery. He was hospitalized for a month. He went back to the warfront but was wounded once more in December. Consequently, he had to rest and recover for two more months. But now, he has returned to the battleground.

During the extensive conflict that has lasted for two years, citizens of Ukraine have united to confront the danger posed by Russia. This was no different for the Vietnamese community residing in the country. Unfortunately, a Ukrainian soldier who was of Vietnamese descent lost his life in the war. When the community heard of his injury, they came together in a show of unity and support.

Nguyen expressed that prior to the outbreak of a large-scale conflict, they had not interacted with many individuals from Vietnam. However, presently, they receive abundant backing from the Vietnamese community. Numerous Vietnamese individuals have sent messages of encouragement, and others have brought nourishment to the hospital.

From the 1950s onwards, many Vietnamese citizens started moving to the Soviet Union to pursue their education, mainly in fields relating to technology. Among them was Pham Nhat Vuong, who now holds the title of Vietnam's wealthiest individual. While residing in Kharkiv during the early 1990s, Pham earned his first fortune by establishing the Mivina brand of instant noodles, which was extremely popular among Ukrainians at the time of economic hardship after the end of the communist era. Several Vietnamese politicians received their education from Ukrainian universities. A significant number of Vietnamese expats headed to both Russia and Ukraine in the 1990s to work as small-scale traders. The parents of Nguyen were also among them, having arrived in Chernihiv during the early 1990s.

Before Russia fully invaded, there were around 100,000 Vietnamese people living in the area, as reported by Serhiy Chervanchuk, who works as the executive director of the Ukraine-Vietnam Association based in Kyiv.

Kharkiv has a significant Vietnamese population, with the majority of them being traders holding the Barabashovo market. This market was one of the biggest in Europe and is situated on the eastern side of the city. Moreover, the city also has a Buddhist temple which was used by the Vietnamese community before the war, but unfortunately, the monks had to evacuate after the war broke out.

Numerous traders from Vietnam that trade in Barabashovo have experienced the effect of Russian attacks and the marketplace is currently operating at much lower levels than before. Moreover, these traders have disclosed that they initially left Ukraine at the commencement of the war, though they eventually came back.

On a rainy morning, a trader named Dima mentioned that there are fewer customers these days and the situation is worse. Nonetheless, he considers the place his home and has no intention of moving away. It's worth noting that Vietnamese individuals at the market have modified their names to sound Ukrainian.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan shared her story about relocating to Kharkiv more than 20 years ago. She tied the knot with someone from her hometown who was already employed at the market there.

Following years of working in the industry, the family made the choice to establish a restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese cuisine. Although she is only able to communicate in Vietnamese, her son, Tran Minh Duc, is proficient in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and his family's mother tongue. He is currently studying radio electronics during the day, while tackling restaurant duties in the evenings.

Nguyen's formative years in Vietnam were greatly influenced by the remnants of war. She shared that her grandmother had been killed in the Vietnam War, which left a lasting impression on her. Furthermore, studying about the impact of the conflict was a significant part of her academic journey. However, her family was again stirred by the horrors of war when they faced the conflict in Ukraine, which came as a shock to them.

During the initial months of the war, Kharkiv was at the forefront and so the family relocated to Germany, where they secured employment at a Vietnamese restaurant in Cologne through their connections. Their younger offspring also commenced their education, however, after a few months, the family began to yearn for Kharkiv and eventually opted to return there.

Nhan expressed her fondness for Ukraine, claiming that she and her family had grown accustomed to life there. They felt despondent when they had to leave, and they were content with living nowhere else. Despite Kharkiv's barren state, the family resumed operations of their restaurant in June of next year. Initially, the establishment was primarily patronized by law enforcement and military personnel. However, as city life eventually picked up again, the restaurant was inundated with customers for holiday meals and romantic evenings, as evidenced by a busy Monday night. Despite the recent surge of missile strikes, the Tran family stated that they did not intend on fleeing again.

Similar to other Vietnamese families living in Ukraine, this particular family has relatives residing in Russia. Over there, the Vietnamese community is also quite significant. However, keeping in touch with them has become a tad bit challenging lately.

Tran stated that when his cousin got in touch with him during the war, he enquired about their well-being. However, they avoided discussing political matters as they prefer not to engage in those conversations.