LVIV, Ukraine Ernes and Alime Mambetov have been living with their 2-year-old son in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for a little over a year. Both are practicing Muslims and Crimean Tatars that fled Crimea for mainland Ukraine after Russias military seized control of the peninsula in 2014 .

When they left in June of that year, young Crimean Tatar men were disappearing and reported to be abducted under the new Russian authorities. Ernes feared he could be next.

When we crossed the border, I felt like a weight had finally been taken off of me, he said.

Both have been warmly received despite the fact Muslims had previously been a rarity in this part of Ukraine. Ernes well-groomed beard passes for hipster chic, and though Alime wears a headscarf, she said she has never experienced more than an odd look.