A Ukrainian student at London South Bank University has said she is “incredibly anxious” for her loved ones inside Ukraine, especially those who stayed behind to fight.
“Lots of my friends have the possibility to leave, but they stay to protect their country, it breaks my heart,” said 24-year-old Kateryna Chiiachenko, a second-year PhD student.
“Every morning I wake up worrying if they are alive or not, I am not fine until I hear their voice,” she added.
Kateryna, who is originally from Muckevo in the west of Ukraine, has an uncle and cousin who have joined the armed struggle against the Russians.
“We keep asking them to leave the country, but they are just saying no,” says Kateryna.
“They want to protect Ukraine … They want to stay until the last.”
Kateryna was “incredibly anxious” for all of her extended family in Ukraine, particularly its more vulnerable members.
“We are really worried. My grandpa can hear shooting from his house, he is really old and it is difficult to transport him,” she said. “He does not have the medicines he needs, there is no food and the shops have run out of essential items.”
“There is a chance that the city will close and they will not be able to leave at all.”
Although she could understand the potential “financial” concerns facing the UK of offering safety to Ukrainian refugees, Kateryna said she could “only think about my Ukrainian people.”
She added: “Colouring the London Eye with the Ukrainian flag is a great thing, but I would like to see something real.”
The Conservative government has granted visas to 300 Ukrainian refugees out of nearly 18,000 applications. There are reports of Ukrainians being turned away at UK borders due to a lack of paperwork.
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Kateryna described the news coming out of Ukraine as “heartbreaking.”
“We are hearing terrible stories about people having to spend nights underground and children dying of dehydration.”
“Our family is relatively lucky as we know our relatives are still alive. My mother’s friends live in Mariupol, things are really bad there, people are dying … no-one knows whether they are alive or not.”
Russia has surrounded and besieged the city in the south, with an estimated 200,000 people currently trapped under heavy bombardment.
Along with her fellow ex-pats in the UK, Kateryna has tried to support Ukraine “in any way” she can, including sending parcels, donations and money to the country. But she wanted to see more political and financial assistance from the UK government.
“For Ukrainian people, it is really important to see that they are supported from abroad,” says Kateryna. “I have been surprised by the kindness of people I know, who have offered to help.”
“It makes a really big difference.”
In the face of Russia’s military assault, Kateryna said that she had “never been so proud of my people as I am now.”
“I could never have imagined that the people of my country would show this much dedication to their families, friends and motherland.”
Although “no expert” in politics, Kateryna believed Ukraine was “very much capable” of fighting Russia off.
“Even though we are such a small country, our people know what they are fighting for.”
“Ukrainian people seek freedom over anything else and they ready to do anything for it, she added.