Bolton Ukrainian refugees share their reality of war and hopes of one day returning home

Even though the women were aware of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, they never thought the moment would come where they would have to leave everything they’ve ever known behind.

Back in February they were all just enjoying their lives with friends and family.

But now in their new temporary home, they each opened up to The Bolton News about their very different journeys to find sanctuary.

They tell The Bolton News they are dreaming of going home as the brave trio share their raw and real experiences.

Iryna Melnyk is a mother to a 13-year-old-son who had to hide in a basement with others during some of the attacks, Taisiia had to leave her son and two-year-old granddaughter; whilst Olena -who came on holiday to the UK – went back to Ukraine to help with humanitarian aid. She returned to the UK but has to leave her husband behind.

The Ukrainian community continuing to raise money on the steps of the town hall

Taisiia Nazarenko’s journey from Kryvyi Rih

Taisiia’s daughter Iryna, pleaded for her mum to come to Reading where she lives, and said “there is going to be a war”.

But Taisiia said she didn’t want to believe it.

Taisiia said: “But on February 24, they started bombing in Kryvyi Rih, and everything stopped.”

The bombing went on until March 3, and Iryna was begging her mum to leave.

Taisiia went to the train station with just a little bag and all her documents, not knowing where she was even going at this point.

Taisiia added: “I got on the train to Lviv with no plan, and that was it.

“When I was travelling on the train, they didn’t have lights and you could just hear the sirens.

“For adults it’s one thing, but for children, it’s worse.

“Children weren’t even crying, and it was really quiet.

“The carts were full of people, and people were knocking on the windows and doors."

Through the help of some volunteers, she made it to Poland, where some kind strangers took her in with her husband Peter.

Whilst they waited for their visa, they stayed with the family for a month.

She said: “I couldn’t eat or drink, and my lips were so cracked, because of everything that was going on.

“I was in a state of shock and had a really bad feeling in my gut.”

Before Taisiia was able to come to Bolton, she was forced to leave her son Evan, and her two-year-old-granddaughter, Maria.

Because her son isn’t over 60, he can’t leave Ukraine.

Taisiia said: “It’s really hard because I had to leave my daughter-in-law, my son, and my granddaughter behind.

“It’s taken Maria’s childhood away.

“When there are bombs outside, Maria hides in the bath.”

War-torn Ukraine. Credit: PA

Since Taisiia has been here, she said Evan writes 'We are alive' when there is bombing. 

She added: “I am very grateful for all the help from people in Bolton.

“Everybody has helped a great deal.”

Taisiia and her husband are still uncertain about the future, but they have been helped through the Red Cross charity, which has provided three months’ worth of accommodation, and enough food, free of charge.

She is also in contact with some of her friends and family every day, which keeps her going.

Iryna Melnyk’s journey from Kyiv

On February 23 it was just a normal day for Iryna, and she was enjoying life, going out with friends regularly.

She had a good job, her husband Peter, and her happy 13-year-old son, Daniel.

But everything changed on February 24, when she got a phone call from her brother John in Kyiv, who said “I have heard bombs going off”.

Peter had gone out of their flat, but had to return because a bomb went off, and he said, “it’s war”.

Iryna said: “I couldn’t believe they came to Kyiv, and I couldn’t believe what was happening.

“Nobody thought this would actually happen.

“But I got mine and my son’s documents and left the flat.

“I was getting stuff ready for him, he was meant to be going to school.”

Her family had phoned her again to say that bombs were going off.

Iryna added: “I was so frightened."

She went with Peter to his work, which was near the airport, which “was really bad”.

Iryna and Daniel had to hide in a basement, even though it wasn’t really bomb proof.

She said: “Daniel was very frightened and would fall to the ground if he heard any sirens.

War-torn Ukraine. Credit: PA

“Most people inside the basement went to the metro stations.

“Women were giving birth in these stations.”

Iryna and her son were moving around different parts of Kyiv at first because they didn't feel safe anywhere, then south to Cherkassy, before heading west.

She didn’t know where she was going or what was next, she just wanted to be safe with her son.

Peter drove them to Stryi and her parents soon followed, before eventually passing through Hungary, and then Budapest.

Iryna said that they were very friendly in Budapest and put her and Daniel up in a hotel for free.

Along the way Iryna’s kept in touch with friends in Hostomel who told her that they had been badly bombed.

Hostomel is one of the worst affected areas, with many atrocities recorded.

Whilst they were on the phone Iryna could hear the bombs going off.

They hadn’t heard from their friends for a while, until Peter turned on the news, and realised Ivan had been buried near a church.

He had been shot whilst out delivering medical supplies and food.

She added: “I still haven’t processed things.

“Daniel is eating, but he’s really nervous all the time.”

Iryna managed to speak to one of her friend in Mariupol a month ago.

Her friend was unable to phone but could text.

War-torn Ukraine. Credit: PA

And the last she heard from her was that she was in her basement, and she didn’t have any lights or water.

She hasn’t heard from her since.

Her family in London urged her to come there, and she got on a plane from Budapest to London in the hopes that she could escape.

She added: “No one was prepared for this.”

When Iryna and Daniel arrived in Bolton, they were still expecting to go back home, and only came with a few things.

She said: “I thought it would calm down and something would be sorted out.

“But every day was getting worse.”

Daniel is still studying with online lessons taught in Kyiv.

One of Daniel’s classmates’ dads in Bucha was killed, and the online school start the lessons with a minutes silence for those who have been killed.

Iryna said: “Sometimes you can hear the sirens and they have to stop classes.”

Peter is still in Kyiv because he is under 60.

Iryna is with her son at the moment, in accommodation provided by Red Cross, waiting to see what’s next.

Olena Kravetska’s journey from Dnipro

Olena only came to Telford for a short holiday on February 19, to visit her talented 15-year-old son, George – who came here for boarding school.

It was through his skills in hockey and as a violinist, that he was able to get a scholarship.

Olena was taking George and his friend sightseeing across Scotland and enjoying catching up like any parent would.

But on February 24 she heard the news that war had broken out.

She said: “It really shocked me.

“In that moment I was thinking about the future for my son, and my husband, and parents who are over there.

“Before then, I was just focused on the holiday and spending time with my son.”

In a state of shock, Olena went to the Polish centre in Telford to volunteer, and they needed a driver.

At this time, Olena had nowhere to live, and she wanted to help her motherland.

Olena said: “I just wanted to do something, even though there wasn’t much I could do.

“I think the adrenalin pushed me to go and help, even though I couldn’t eat or anything because of the shock of what was happening.”

War-torn Ukraine. Credit: PA

Olena got a certificate and drove a donated pickup truck to where the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain Army volunteers were on the border, and crossed the Slovakian border into Uzhhorod, where she helped people in need.

She added: “I mainly saw women with children and elderly women who could barely walk, carrying lots of bags with their worldly belongings in.

“I helped some of them with their bags, and so did the Slovakian guards.

“It was really hard to see.”

Olena made it all the way to Hungary to help, but was turned away, even though she had the relevant paperwork.

Olena said: “I then drove through Slovakia, to the Uzhhorod border to hand over the truck and supplies, and returned on foot through the border, with many others, with just one little bag.

“I wanted to see my husband back home, but he said, ‘don’t even think about coming back, it’s best to be with our son’.

“We didn’t really know where we were going, but we found a station to rest for a few hours.

“It was very stressful.

“There didn’t seem to be an end in sight, but I just wanted to something, so that this could all be over and finish.”

Olena eventually made it back to the volunteer centre in Telford because she knew it was for the best, at least for now.

They were able to find her a place to stay through the Red Cross charity.

But she had to leave her husband George behind and doesn’t know when she will be able to see him again.

It wasn’t the first time that Olena had selflessly volunteered; she previously worked with the Red Cross charity during peace time.

Meeting Taisiia and Iryna, has had a huge impact on Olena, because she can now talk to others who are all still in the same state of shock as each other.