A Ukrainian mother who found refuge in London has told how her life changed forever as she and her young daughter fled Vladimir Putin’s invasion one year ago.
Viktoriia Shchielko screamed at her daughter Gold, nine, to duck for cover inside their car as Russian fighters parachuted into their home city of Kyiv.
The former TV presenter and model had a piece of shrapnel wedged in her back after narrowly avoiding a blast as they fled.
She was in pain, but drove for seven days straight through Poland to eventually find safety in Germany.
“I say thank God I have my daughter, I am alive and all good,” said the Ukrainian refugee, 33, who now lives in west London.
When the invasion began Viktoriia recalled opening the window of her house and seeing bombs at the airport.
“I go with my daughter downstairs to the street, see many people running, cars and horror, people feeling scared and trying to run away,” she told the Standard.
“I remember that feeling of not understanding what had happened. I thought after the First and Second World War people wouldn’t come back to this.
“I was shocked like all people in Ukraine.”
After leaving Gold with her grandmother overnight, Viktoriia drove a friend to the safety of her family in nearby Hostomel.
“I was driving, [there was] a lot of shooting, a lot of guns. On the left there were a lot of people parachuting down.
“I see Russian guys that come down from the sky. It’s like I was in a movie and I prayed to God we could get there safely, and thank God that he gave us a chance.”
Viktoriia returned to collect Gold from the outskirts of Kyiv only to find the building where her daughter was supposed to be had collapsed.
“You do not understand this horror, when there’s land and you do not see the building [where your daughter is supposed to be],” she said.
She called Gold’s grandmother and discovered they had been taken in by a man living nearby.
As she walked to her car a bomb exploded, pushing her to the ground and a piece of shrapnel flew into her back.
“I went to sit down at the car. Outside was bombed, and part of the metal things come to my back,” she said.
“Honestly, then I lose [track of] time.
“I remember that you not hear nothing, it’s like [ringing] in your ears.”
Picking herself back up, she found Gold and the pair fled Ukraine, driving for seven days straight through Poland to eventually find safety in Germany.
The car was loaded with pillows, warm jackets and documentation for visas - their family left behind.
She and Gold settled in London in August last year under the Homes for Ukraine visa scheme and are living with a host family in the Hammersmith & Fulham.
Her home in Kyiv and most of her belongings have been destroyed and her family, who decided to stay behind, are struggling without electricity and internet connection.
“My family says this conflict will be very long,” she told the Standard.
“Everyday a lot of our guys die. We do it because if not, who will stop this aggression?
“We want peace.”
Gold is settling into school, learning English and even enjoys games of croquet.
“We are building a good life in the UK, because to be honest we don’t know when the war is finishing.”
Viktoriia is one of more than 218,000 Ukrainians who have had visas issued by the Home Office, and among 16,000 living in London.
However thousands are still on waiting lists to find hosts, especially refugee families wanting to live in the capital.
Charity Reset has more than 3,000 refugee families looking for UK sponsors but only 60 people ready to host.
