A Ukrainian family, the Konovalovs, have rebuilt their lives in Neuenkirch, Switzerland, after fleeing Kyiv in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Zhanna and Vadym Konovalov, along with their daughter Anastasiia and Vadym’s mother, Nadiia Profetska, now reside in the canton of Lucerne, having navigated a phased relocation that began with mother and daughter in the spring of 2022, followed by the father and grandmother a year later. Even the family’s cat, Romeo, made the journey to Switzerland.
The initial days of the war caught the Konovalovs by surprise. According to a report in bote.ch, February 24, 2022, began as a normal day in Kyiv before the first explosions signaled the start of the conflict. Zhanna and Anastasiia were the first to leave, seeking refuge in Switzerland two months after the invasion. Vadym and Nadiia followed in 2023.
Vadym Konovalov’s professional background includes entrepreneurial experience and innovation management, having earned a degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Executive MBA from the International Management Institute MIM in Kyiv, alongside a Master’s in Business Economics, as detailed on his LinkedIn profile. He is currently associated with Tiw, a newly established technology company in Switzerland, where he held a leadership position as of December 2016.
The family’s story unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing conflict in Ukraine and concerns about the influence of nationalist groups within the country. Andrej Konovalov, in an interview published by zgif.ch in September 2025, described how nationalist influence in Ukraine operates outside of formal political channels, relying instead on threats of physical violence. He cited the 2015 incident near the Ukrainian Parliament in Kyiv, where a demonstrator threw a hand grenade, injuring over 140 people and killing three National Guardsmen, as an example of this dynamic. The case of Serhyj Sternenko, a Ukrainian nationalist who was acquitted after being accused of murder, further illustrates the challenges faced by the Ukrainian state in addressing extremist violence, according to Konovalov.
Alexander Konovalov, listed on LinkedIn as the founder of Vidby, a company focused on overcoming language barriers in business, is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council. His work suggests a focus on technological solutions to global challenges, a contrast to the political and security concerns facing his family’s homeland.