Ukraine war: Lincolnshire refugees on returning to bombed home city

A family of Ukrainian refugees who visited their home near Kyiv over half-term are safely back in Lincolnshire.

Seventeen-year-old student Katya Kuchai, her aunt Maryna and 15-year-old cousin Masha say it was worth the risk to be reunited with their family.

But they say their homeland was beyond recognition due to Russian attacks.

"Flats and houses were destroyed. It was quite painful to see all of that," said Katya on her return to her hosts in Market Rasen.

"You understand any moment a bomb could just come on your house," Maryna added.

The trio, who fled shortly after the Russian invasion, made the trip in October to visit family and friends at their home near the Ukrainian capital.

Katya said she now had "two lives" - one in Ukraine and the other in Market Rasen - and tried to enjoy her time back home with her family.

"We tried to not be upset and we support each other as much as possible," she said.

"I was scared when I heard a plane from my window, or the bombs. I'm sleeping and I just heard somewhere near me, the bombs."

While in the war-torn country she visited her grandmother and went on walks, but she said she knew her life there would never be the same again.

"My life in Ukraine will never return again because every day it's destroyed. I try not to look back and only look to the future."

Masha said waking up every day in her own room would remind her she was at home.

"Every day I saw my father and my lovely brother, we were so happy," she said.

Her mother Maryna said their time in Ukraine went "so fast" but it was good to catch up with friends and neighbours.

"When we were together, we weren't afraid. We spent our times playing games.

"My husband said I had to come back [to the UK]. He and my son were worried for our safety."

Seeing the destroyed buildings had upset Masha, who added: "It looks so horrible.

"It's really horrible because [Russia] don't destroy military objects, they just destroyed our nation."

She said she wanted to stay in Ukraine, but knew it was not safe enough for them to return permanently yet.

"It was so painful to say goodbye," shew said.

"When we first arrived in England, it felt like a family trip. When we said goodbye for a second time, it was much more painful than the first time."

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