Ukraine: King's Lynn woman left 'devastated' by conflict

A mother from Ukraine said she had not slept for three nights and was living a "terrifying nightmare".

Tanya Mikulova, who now lives in King's Lynn, Norfolk, said she was "desperately worried" for her mother who lives 40 miles (64km) from Kyiv.

"We never believed he [Vladimir Putin] would go this far," she said.

Ms Mikulova, who moved to the UK 18 years ago to study, said the support for her country had given her strength.

She spoke to the BBC at a ceremony on Friday night, where King's Lynn's town hall was lit up in blue and gold.

She said she wanted everyone in her home country to know she was proud of them and that they were "brave and courageous".

After laying flowers on a peace sculpture she said: "I'm just terrified for my family, I'm devastated and in tears all the time, crying, feeling hopeless, as there isn't much I can do instead of praying, praying, praying."

She said her mother had been left trapped in her home and was hiding in a cellar that she used to store food in.

"You never think one day that you would need to use it as a hiding place," she said.

She hopes to bring her family to live with her in Norfolk and said she had spoken to her MP about it.

"I'm worried in a few days there might be a cyber attack and the internet might be broken so we won't be able to find out how they are," she added.

Messages from friends have "really, really helped me to find that strength," she said.

"We thought he [Putin] was threatening us and threatening our democracy. We never believed he would go this far, that's why people refuse to leave."

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