Somerset woman organises vigil for Ukraine family 'living in hell'

Olga was told by friends the university was hit by a missile

BBC Kharkiv university roof crumbles after missile hit — Olga was told by friends the university was hit by a missile

A Ukrainian national living in Somerset has said her family back home are "living in hell".

Olga explained her family are near Kharkiv, which has been heavily bombed by Russian missiles.

She is in daily contact with them and said she had been "surprised and overwhelmed" by the love shown to Ukrainians by so many people.

Olga has organised a peaceful vigil in King Square in Bridgwater at 18:30 GMT to show support for Ukrainians.

After speaking with her family on Tuesday, she said: "They told me the shelling is horrendous and they are living in hell. The last text I received from my mother, she said 'we survived another night, thank God for that'."

At least 10 people were killed and 35 hurt when an opera house, a concert hall and government offices were struck in Kharkiv's Freedom Square on Tuesday.

A residential building in the city of Irpin in the Kyiv region was destroyed by shelling

Reuters A view shows a residential building destroyed by recent shelling, as Russia"s invasion of Ukraine continues, in the city of Irpin in the Kyiv region, Ukraine March 2, 2022. — A residential building in the city of Irpin in the Kyiv region was destroyed by shelling

"My family have to go up and down to the cellar [to shelter] and my university friend living in Kharkiv city centre said there's nothing left," she added.

She said her family told her community spirit was high and people were sharing food and water in Kharkiv, but it has been impossible to send simple things like paracetamol to them as there was no green corridor.

"We would implore for the Red Cross to get basic supplies for people in Eastern Ukraine", she added.

"They need supplies for newborn babies and daily medication for things like HrT and blood pressure as people are running low on medicine."

'Our mind is there'

Olga helped to organise the peaceful gathering that is taking place later in Bridgwater.

She said: "There is no agenda, just to talk and to give support to Ukrainian citizens and to send them our love and show them we are thinking about them and our mind is there.

"I hope we will have people from different countries, beliefs and backgrounds who can be together and talk and listen."

Olga said the generosity shown to Ukrainian's has been "surprising and overwhelming... my heart is overwhelmed with kindness".