Ukraine: Luton couple returns home with surrogate twins

A UK couple stranded in Ukraine after collecting their twins born via surrogate said they "can't believe" they survived.

Manisha and Metaish Parmar from Luton, Bedfordshire, arrived in Kyiv on 8 February and were waiting for paperwork to allow them all to travel home.

The couple said they witnessed a missile strike the building next to where they were staying and thought they were going to die.

"It was horrific," Mrs Parmar said.

"It's just devastating. We were supposed to go there and it be the best moment of our life.

"We waited a long time for this and all of a sudden we were living this horrible nightmare."

The couple, who had been trying to start a family for 13 years, said the surrogacy in Ukraine was their last option.

"We've gone through IVF treatments and tried so many ways but it was just miscarriage after miscarriage," Mr Parmar said.

The couple travelled to Kyiv with Mr Parmar's parents, who are both in their 70s, to meet the babies and take them home.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine started as Mr and Mrs Parmer were waiting for the paperwork to be processed.

"We heard bombs, explosions, gunfire, continuous shelling and buildings being blown up around us," Mr Parmar said.

"We had to run to our bunkers with our newborns without any food or anything.

"Myself and my dad would run to the shops to get food.

"We took a massive risk but I had to make the sacrifice for our babies."

The family eventually managed to find a driver who took them to the Polish border.

"We pleaded with him to take us," Mr Parmar said. "For us he is the godfather for our children.

"We will never forget what he did. He is a hero in our eyes."

Mrs Parmar said she felt "blessed" to be back home with the twins.

"They're definitely miracle babies," she said. "Everyone says life is short, but boy, we've lived it.

"We're going to enjoy every second with these beautiful babies."

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