Valentina Shevchenko with her mother Natalia in London
(Picture: Valentina Shevchenko)A Ukrainian woman who was in London on a business trip when war broke out is appealing for help as she fears she has “nowhere to return to”.
Valentina Shevchenko, 37, from Kyiv, was visiting the capital for work when, on February 24, she received a message from her mother to say Russia had invaded Ukraine.
She was stranded in London for more than two weeks but bravely returned to Ukraine to help her 76-year-old mother flee the conflict.
Miss Shevchenko now plans to rebuild her life in London and is appealing for help with finding work and accommodation.
‘The price for a new life is expensive’
Miss Shevchenko, who was the owner of a tour operator company, had arrived in London in the days before the invasion to attend a meeting at the Ukrainian embassy.
Recalling hearing the terrifying news that Vladimir Putin had launched a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine, she told the Standard: “On the morning of February 24, I woke and saw a message from my mum.
“She said, ‘have you checked the news? We have war.’ My mind was stuck. I said, ‘what are you talking about?’ She told me to check the news. I started to shake and I saw this nightmare.”
Speaking of the last 21 days, she added: “Every night you don’t sleep, you’re stressed, you cry. You try to do something but it’s like a horror movie. You can see everyday attack, attack, attack, attack.
“I came for business, I had my plane ticket to return to Kyiv. Everything was in Ukraine. The price for a new life is very expensive.”
Half of Kyiv’s residents flee shelling
In the days after Russia launched its invasion, Miss Shevchenko said she lost everything: Her job, her home and possessions and was stranded in London with nowhere to return.
Kyiv has been under constant bombardment by Russian forces as it continues to tighten its grip on the capital. Half of the city’s residents are thought to have fled.
Miss Shevchenko, who lived in the Lukyanivka district of Kyiv, said she cannot return as she fears for her life.
Her home was close to the TV tower which was hit in an air strike, killing five people, and she said there were “very active" ongoing attacks in the area.
The latest shelling of Kyiv has prompted the city to impose a 35-hour curfew, which started on Tuesday night.
Relying on the kindness of strangers
In London, Miss Shevchenko relied on the kindness of friends and Ukrainian support groups to help her get by.
Since then, she has been volunteering to help others, including by collecting donations and helping with travel arrangements for those trying to flee the country.
At the end of last week, Miss Shevchenko bravely returned to Ukraine to help her mother Natalia, who was living in the southern city of Kryvyy Rih, escape.
She travelled to Lviv, via Lublin in Poland, where they were reunited.
She said she remembers Ukraine as a “very friendly and hospitable” country with lots of green cities.
“But to see all of it destroyed is like a nightmare.”
Miss Shevchenko and her mother are now in Germany as they wait for her mum to get a visa as part of the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, after which she will return to the UK.
Appeal for help
Miss Shevchenko wants to rebuild her life in London and is appealing for help with finding work and temporary accommodation.
She said: “In Ukraine I was successful, but now I have to rebuild my life. I need to find accommodation, I need to find a job. I need to start everything from the beginning because you cannot return, there is nowhere to return.
“I’m scared but I try to do my best to start everything again in the United Kingdom.”
If you can help with Valentina’s appeal please click here.
