Ukraine refugee in Cornwall says her life was 'put on hold'

A Ukrainian woman who moved to Cornwall has said her life has been "put on hold" by the Russian invasion of her country a year ago.

Kseniia Seredina relocated to the county from Kyiv with her four-year-old son and 80-year-old mother as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Her husband is Russian and had to return there.

According to the latest UK government data, 927 Ukrainians have so far been sponsored to stay in Cornwall.

Ms Seredina told BBC Radio Cornwall "everything was destroyed" when Russia launched its assault on 24 February last year, splitting her family and forcing her to leave behind her "dream job" in marketing.

Speaking of the morning of the invasion, she said: "My neighbour was knocking on the door and shouting out that 'Russia is bombing us'.

"I thought [the war] may finish just in a few weeks and few months - I realised my life was put on hold."

Ms Seredina, who now lives in St Austell, said her son "misses his dad so much" and the future was uncertain.

"We don't know where we will be," she said.

"It's a very traumatic experience for children."

She now realises the war "isn't going to end fast" but felt "resilient" thanks to the support of people in the county and beyond.

"We feel strong with the support of other countries," she said.

"These are joint forces, not to fight only for Ukrainian territories, but for democracy of the whole world and for people's rights and independence."

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