Ukraine: 'Safety would be the perfect Mother's Day gift'

Ukrainian mums living in the UK have said the only gift they want for Mother's Day this year is safety for their families stuck in the war-torn country.

In Ukraine, the day is always marked on the second Sunday in May.

But for women forced to leave loved ones behind following the Russian invasion, celebrations will look drastically different.

Kateryna fled the country with her 11-year-old son Vadym.

She said her thoughts on Sunday would be with her 84-year-old grandmother, who is currently living alone in southern Ukraine with "no water or electricity".

"I don't know how to feel this Mother's Day, I am happy that we are safe and my son can go to school, but my husband is still in Ukraine with his relatives and my mum is in Moldova.

"It's very difficult - my mother cries every day for her mother as every day the Russians attack our district."

Kateryna and her son are currently staying in Warwick with host Louise Fellows, who said she planned to make the day as special as possible for the pair.

For Katarina and her sister Liza Cherney, Mother's Day will also be a bitter reminder of their mum currently stuck in Kyiv.

Ms Cherney, 39, said: "It's very difficult for us to arrange anything. Because of the war we can't send items to our parents easily.

"We were able to organise some food, but we couldn't get any presents to her.

"We normally buy her flowers, presents, and take her for a meal or a spa day, but this year to have mum and dad safe would be the perfect Mother's Day gift."

She said the family tried to keep in touch every day as the situation had been changing so quickly on the ground.

Mother-of-three Katarina fled Ukraine with her family and they have moved into her sister's home in Wolverhampton.

Ms Cherney said their parents, who have been separated for 10 years, were now living together in her sister's house as her father was too unwell to travel.

Kate Lysenko, 34, was forced to leave her mother and husband behind in Kyiv in search of a safe haven for her two daughters aged seven and 10.

Now living in Shrewsbury, the mum-of-two is hoping for a postcard from her loved ones back home on Mother's Day.

She said: "In previous years my kids would buy me flowers and draw pictures, now the greatest gift is knowing they have somewhere safe to sleep at night.

"I'm not thinking of celebrations, I just want my family back together.

"When we first arrived in the UK my youngest daughter was scared of loud noises like ambulances or dogs barking. Making sure they feel safe is my priority."

More than 12 million people are believed to have fled their homes in Ukraine since the conflict began, according to the United Nations.

Over 5.7 million have left for neighbouring countries and another 6.5 million people are thought to be displaced inside the war-torn country itself.

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