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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Andy Lines in Lviv & Abigail O'Leary

Father's heartbreaking goodbye to son as family flee Ukraine while he stays to fight

A father was pictured paying an emotional goodbye to his son as he put his family on a train leaving Ukraine.

Ruslan Gladkiy gave nine year old Hordeiy a big hug as he put him, his daughter and wife on a train to safety.

Hordeiy was so upset he took off his glasses as he was crying so much.

Ruslan, 35, a driver, spoke exclusively to the Mirror about the farewell to Hordeiy, Emilia, four and his wife Galina, 37.

He said: “It was a very difficult moment.

“I did not want to say goodbye to my family. They are going to Hungary.

“We live 250 kilometres from Lviv and I drove them here this morning to get the train. I am staying.

Hordeiy touches the window has he says goodbye to his father (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)
Ruslan kisses his son Gorgi "be brave for your mother". (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

“I will be defending my country.

“Hopefully it won’t be too long before I see them again. I will miss them.”

He added: “I would like to thank the Daily Mirror for coming to Ukraine to report on what is happening to us.”

More than 368,000 people have already fled their homes in Ukraine, while several thousand have crossed into neighbouring countries including Moldova, Romania and Poland, the United Nations has said.

The UN warns up to five million people could be displaced by the conflict.

Chaos at Lyviv Railway Station as the human tide of refugees desperate to leave are massed trying to get a train out of Ukraine (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)
Lyviv Railway Station (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

Charities have urged the UK to match the effort it made after the 1990s conflict in the former Yugoslavia, as Ukrainians have been claiming Britain has made it "difficult" to legally enter.

Speaking on a visit to the Royal Air Force Brize Norton station on Saturday night, the PM said he's aware of "fake news being circulated on the internet" in regards to Britain's willingness to take refugees from Eastern Europe.

"Of course, we're going to take refugees these countries had a historic and proud role in taking refugees from all conflicts and if you think what we did in in Afghanistan, for instance, UK was was way out.

"In fact, I'm aware that there's some fake news on the Internet about that and I really want to knock that on the head.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits a frontline in Donbass (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

"The UK is way out in front in our willingness to help with refugees. We've sent 1000 troops to, to the theatre to be ready to help with the influx and of course, we will help people fleeing in fear of their lives."

In a letter to the PM, the charities including the Refugee Council said: "A generation ago, the UK saved the lives of thousands of families from the Balkans through an evacuation and resettlement programme.

"The government should now respond with a well-resourced initiative working with councils across the country, to welcome Ukrainians who need sanctuary."

Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said neighbouring nations to Ukraine have “opened up their hearts and homes” to receive as many Ukrainians as possible.

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