Ukraine community meets to mark 'unbelievable' war

A commemorative service has taken place to mark four years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Holy Sepulchre Church in Northampton was the venue for the Ukrainian community to come together to pray.

Solomiia Blagitko, who organised Monday's event and arrived in the UK from Kyiv in May 2022, said it was "unbelievable" that she was still here and the conflict was ongoing.

Tetiana Hornik, a teacher who settled in Rushden with her two sons in December 2022, said she had hoped to go home after a few months but "unfortunately I can't".

Blagitko said she still had parents and a husband in Ukraine, who she tried to see during the summer and winter holidays.

"It's unbelievable - it's four years we've been here. Four years of fighting - nothing changes," she said.

"Our hope remains for peace and a chance to return home and help our country to recover."

Hornik said: "I can't believe it's been so long. I thought it would be a couple of months and go back home and unfortunately I can't."

She said her two sons had settled into the UK quite well as they were six and nine when they arrived.

"My younger one is more British as most of his life has been spent here; all his friends and all his memories are now here," she said.

"He uses the English language more than Ukrainian as everyone around him speaks English; the only thing that connects him with Ukraine is his dad."

She last saw her husband in the summer when they went to the country for a couple of months.

"It's not as much as we want - we want to be together."

She said the country had changed a lot.

"You can see so many boards with soldiers who have died and flags on cemeteries and places that have been destroyed by Russia," she said.

"You can see how people are tired from all this."

She did not believe the conflict would end soon.

"We haven't started this war; the country who started it doesn't want to finish it," she said.

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