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How Ukraine’s Refugees Became Poland’s Exploited Workers

By: Kasia Piasecka

Millions of Ukrainians have fled to Poland since the Russian war began. Many have become embroiled in the vast illegal care-work economy – adding exploitation to the trauma of fleeing their homes.

Rusłana Pobereżnyk and her comrades preparing a banner with their demands.

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It’s day sixty-three of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Tetiana, a thirty-seven year old refugee, has just arrived in Warsaw from Kyiv. As she waits for a job advising session in one of the city’s job centres, she explains the reason behind her late evacuation. ‘I didn’t want to leave my husband,’ she says. ‘And […]

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It’s day sixty-three of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Tetiana, a thirty-seven year old refugee, has just arrived in Warsaw from Kyiv. As she waits for a job advising session in one of the city’s job centres, she explains the reason behind her late evacuation. ‘I didn’t want to leave my husband,’ she says. ‘And […]

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It’s day sixty-three of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Tetiana, a thirty-seven year old refugee, has just arrived in Warsaw from Kyiv. As she waits for a job advising session in one of the city’s job centres, she explains the reason behind her late evacuation. ‘I didn’t want to leave my husband,’ she says. ‘And […]

It’s day sixty-three of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Tetiana, a thirty-seven year old refugee, has just arrived in Warsaw from Kyiv. As she waits for a job advising session in one of the city’s job centres, she explains the reason behind her late evacuation. ‘I didn’t want to leave my husband,’ she says. ‘And […]

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