Ukraine woman feels 'pain and hope' one year on

Since the invasion of Ukraine a year ago, more than 2,000 Ukrainians have moved to Devon.

A total of 2,136 Ukrainians have been sponsored to come and stay in Devon through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Lena Kulakovska, 37, fled the country with her two children, while pregnant with her third. Her husband remains in Ukraine.

She told BBC Radio Devon she lives with "pain and hope".

Mrs Kulakovska has been staying with a family in Walkhampton, near Yelverton, and she has since given birth to baby Nicole in July.

She said: "I do my best but I still live with pain and hope. I hope that soon we will be back home and I have a pain in my heart about what is happening in my country every day".

"Our lives stopped on 24 February 2022. We leave everything - our houses, our relatives, our work, everything. We live here for our children to be safe.

"My husband had a chance to live here in England but her prefers to stay in Ukraine and help."

He recently visited and met his new daughter for the first time.

She said the family has had a positive experience in Devon and has a "brilliant host family".

"We have been here nine months and I feel very independent here.

"I have great neighbours around, everybody has tried to do what they can. Nobody can see what is happening in my soul but they try try and try again to help."

A number of events are being held in Devon to mark a year since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Among them is a minute's silence and short service outside Plymouth's Guildhall at 10:45 GMT, and vigils in Tavistock and Exeter at 17:30.

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