KYIV – At a mere mention of her son, Olena’s blue eyes lit up — a smile rediscovered after finding refuge from her violent ex-husband.

She and her toddler live in a shelter in Kyiv — an anonymous apartment building that since Russia invaded in 2022 has been taking in not only victims of domestic violence, but mothers and children forced to abandon their homes in eastern Ukraine.

Among them is Olena — name changed — who lost her job and moved to a European Union country at the start of the war.