Ukraine: Journalist who fled to UK praises 'amazing' reception

Jez Myers and Maria Romanenko arrived in Manchester on Wednesday

Jez Myers/PA Wire Jez Myers and Maria Romanenko — Jez Myers and Maria Romanenko arrived in Manchester on Wednesday

A Ukrainian journalist who fled Kyiv for Manchester has praised the UK public for giving her free meals, gifts and offers of accommodation.

Maria Romanenko, 29, landed in Manchester on Wednesday after a 40-hour trip to get to Poland, before flying to England with her British partner.

Ms Romanenko is staying with Jez Myers, 44, in Manchester.

She said she has had an "incredible" reception since arriving and told how British people were "very accepting".

Ms Romanenko and Mr Myers, a business consultant, had travelled to Kyiv on the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said they had "underestimated the threat" before travelling.

The couple fled Ukraine over fears she had been put on a Russian "kill list" because of Ms Romanenko's job.

She said she has been given a free meal at an Indian restaurant in Manchester and hugged by the waiter who recognised her from news coverage on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"They offered to cover our bill because they recognised us from the media, and I just started crying again," Ms Romanenko said.

"He said: 'Yeah, this is the least we can do'."

She said it was "very touching and unexpected".

"A neighbour gave me flowers when we returned and there was another neighbour who came with his five-year-old son," she said.

"They brought me a drawing his son made saying: 'Welcome home' with Ukrainian flags - it was very sweet.

"On a general public level, it's been incredible; it definitely feels like the British people are very accepting. I'm getting messages on Twitter. People who I've never met."

Maria Romanenko said people have been amazing

She said local cafes had also offered her free coffee and cakes.

Many of Ms Romanenko's family members have remained in Kyiv, including her 60-year-old father who has enlisted to fight in a local territorial defence unit.

Ms Romanenko, who studied maths and Russian civilisation at the University of Leeds, has been given a six-month visitor's visa by the British government but Mr Myers said the long-term plan will be to return to Ukraine.