Mum reunited with daughter in Northern Ireland after fleeing Ukraine

A Ukrainian woman has been reunited with her daughter in Northern Ireland after making an emotional journey from the war-torn country.

Svetlana Murphy, who is originally from Ukraine, has lived in Northern Ireland for years.

She was reunited with her mother Galina Korol at Dublin Airport before travelling to NI on Thursday.

"I just can't believe it, it is just overwhelming and I am so happy she is here now," Svetlana said.

"I have got her, so I'm not going to let her go."

Galina arrived from Lublin in Poland, which she had made her way to from Dnipro in Ukraine after four days of travelling.

The journey was facilitated by a chance conversation between her future son-in-law Mel Campbell and Aneta Gil, a Polish waitress at Gowdy's pub near Lisburn.

Aneta was able to help by getting friends to drive three-and-a-half hours each way to collect Galina from a refugee camp on the Poland-Ukraine border and drive her into Poland.

"Svetlana was sending me the locations of her mum, so I was passing this to my friend, it was all about communication," Aneta said.

Aneta told BBC News NI it was an emotional moment when Svetlana and Galina came into Gowdy's after being reunited.

"When I saw, of course, it made me cry," she said.

"I'm so happy I could help, that I had a chance to help, I'm so happy.

Mel said they had booked a flight for last Saturday night, hotels for three nights and a flight for Wednesday night for Galina, knowing that the circumstances could change quickly.

"We just booked flights and hotels, that if she got there, she'd have somewhere to go," he said.

"We pre-empted the plan of action and hoped that it would fall into place and with the amazing help of Aneta and her family friends, everything fell into place.

"It was amazing and testament to the Polish people and Aneta's family especially, and the effort that Galina put in.

"She's in her early 60s, you know, that takes a lot of guts to get up and leave your home, to travel with pretty much no possessions and being driven by strangers, crossing your fingers and hoping that things fall into place, that the gods are looking down on you."

Svetlana revealed that her mother would be there for her wedding to Mel.

"I'm just so happy, I'll have my mum close to me on a special day for us and it's just the best present ever," she said.

She was also asked what her mother wanted to say and translated for her as Galina does not speak fluent English.

"She said: 'I want to say thank you to everyone who helped and my kids, what they did for me - I can see my kids, my grandchildren growing up, I can live, I can breathe'," Svetlana said.

Russia invaded Ukraine eight days ago and the city of Mariupol is now under siege.

Earlier, the port of Kherson became the first major city to be taken by Russian forces.

"She [Galina] knows it's a war and I am not afraid to use that word because loads of people are dying," Svetlana said earlier on Thursday.

"The explosions are really frightening and I just begged her to get away from it, because she has family here and we need her."

On Thursday, the Irish Department of Justice confirmed 450 Ukrainian nationals had arrived into Dublin Airport between 25 February, when visa requirements were removed, and 2 March.

A spokesperson said a temporary protection directive to allow officials to "quickly and humanely respond to the mass displacement of Ukrainian people by Russian aggression" was agreed on Thursday and is expected to be adopted on Friday.

"It will provide an immediate right of access to the labour market, housing, social welfare, healthcare, education, training and other supports," the department said.

By Sara Girvan, BBC Newsline reporter

All over Northern Ireland, friends and family members of people stuck in Ukraine, are waiting for news from their loved ones.

In Newry, County Down, members of the Ukrainian community are gathering aid to send back to their homeland.

Elena Bushtruk's daughter Anna fled Kyiv and has made it to the Romanian border, but she hopes her daughter will soon join her in Northern Ireland.

Speaking through a translator, Elena said: "Of course I am worried.

"I hope that she gets here, and I hope that it's soon."

Mariya Krupska's home has become a hub for the local Ukrainian community.

Her house is fit to burst with donations from people in Newry.

This weekend, she plans to fill a truck with them and drive them to the Polish border with Ukraine.

"I'm not scared because it's a little thing that I can do," she said.

"At least I can do this.

"People don't have a roof, people don't have food, people have their houses ruined.

"My heart is in pieces - I didn't sleep for maybe four nights at all.

"My family is in the west and they are safe for now but something will happen if this is not stopped.

"I have a lot of friends in Kyiv, in Odesa, in Kharkiv, in Sumy. They are all in big massive danger."

Every morning, Natasha Stokes waits for updates from her friends and family members in Kyiv.

"The messages don't always get through," she said.

She told the BBC: "I feel empty. I'm a very private and reserved person in my ordinary life, but I am a religious person.

"I'm so overwhelmed with grief and worry. I just want to ask people in Northern Ireland, it doesn't matter what beliefs they have, what religion they have.

"Every night when you go to bed, please say a word of prayer for people in Kyiv, for people in Ukraine.

"Please pray they will be alive in the morning."

Russia has for the first time admitted suffering heavy military casualties during its attack on Ukraine, with 498 troops killed and a further 1,597 injured.

However Ukraine says Russian losses run into the thousands.

Ukraine reports that more than 2,000 civilians have died since the invasion began last Thursday.

The conflict has also caused more than a million people to flee Ukraine, according to the UN.