AS UKRAINE nears the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion, one refugee has thanked the people of Oswestry for the safety given by the town.

Viktoriia Ninichuk, 31 and from Kyiv, has been in Oswestry for around nine months with her five-year-old daughter, and is part of a group that meets at the Guildhall twice weekly.

Friday marks the first anniversary of the war and Viktoriia says that she and others are now used to their lives, but added that she feels it is more tragic that they do because they all want to be safe and at home.

“In Oswestry we have safety – it has been good because England has been friendly and English people have been kind,” she said.

“I want to say a big thanks to all English people who did a lot for our people and children.

“We have a normal life but all the time, we are waiting because we don’t know what will be.

“I would like to go home and come back to visit Oswestry one day but I want to live with my full family.

“My daughter asks where her father is, and if he did come to England, we would try to start a new life here but if not possible, then maybe we go back to Ukraine.”

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She added: “I think were used to this situation and it’s terrible that we’re used to this situation.

“We must live for our children and make a safe place for them – it’s our future.

“One year of war is terrible – I know about war from my grandparents telling me about the Second World War.

“My daughter asks why there is war in Ukraine, when will it finish and what did we do to make Russia start this war.

“She knows what a rocket is, that Russian soldiers are in Ukraine and what they do in our country.

“I miss my husband, my parents and a lot of Ukrainians miss for their past life.

“We have a lot of sadness and a lot of hate for Russian people, and it is growing every day because their soldiers did a lot of horrible things.”

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Viktoriia added that she is trying to remain in touch with her home.

She said: “My husband is living in Kyiv but isn’t fighting – I do worry about this.

“A lot of my friends are fighting and they have seen horrible things and lost a lot of friends.

“Children are having to go down to the shelters when there is an air raid and they are very brave.”

Anne Murray and Gemma Cassin volunteer with the group.

They said: “At the start it was quiet as we were all finding our own way.

“It was just about getting to know their background and more about them, as we had a lot of administration issues and names to learn.

“The group is from all over and we try to not concentrate on their home life as they’re dealing with life on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s been a massive privilege to help them to settle into Oswestry – you see things like this on TV and feel helpless so it’s good to make a difference to their lives.”

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