When Russia invaded I thought I would never see the sky again

Viktoriia Izviekova was 14 years old when she fled her home with her mum and their dog as Russia invaded Ukraine.

Viktoriia, from Kharkiv, recalls her mum frantically packing bags in the early hours of the morning on 24 February 2022 as news of war broke.

They lived in a bunker for the first two weeks, before they travelled to Poltava, and then Poland while a friend helped them relocate to the UK.

Viktoriia, who is now studying Journalism at Bournemouth University and building her new life in Dorset, reflects on the last four years.

Now 18, Viktoriia was raised by her mum and says she was a busy child: "I also had a dog, a mini chihuahua, but I was just doing everything I could do. I was always busy.

"I was going to school, I was doing dancing for 11 years. I did everything."

She explains she was also incredibly close with her grandma: "She always made me cook and everything, and so I feel like it's just made me just the better person I am. I just feel alive there, you know.

"I feel warm when I'm thinking about it. Because my family was close. I could speak in my own language, I could talk to my friends about what I want, whereas here I can't really to do that."

Viktoriia recalls the moment she realised a war had begun in Ukraine.

The student says: "I remember it was 04:00 and I woke up because my mum was running around on a call with my auntie and she was just packing bags.

"We started packing bags and we went to my sister because she lives on the first floor and she was next to the bunker."

Viktoriia, her mum and her dog spent two weeks living in the bunker.

She explains: "We were living in the bunker and it was horrible to see people who were hopeless.

"I remember looking at the sky and I was thinking that I'm never gonna see it again.

"I took a picture and it makes me a bit like sad when I look at it, but I just couldn't believe it. It's like feels like a nightmare, which you can't control.

"I was just sleeping next to my sister and just hugging her and I was just hoping that nothing's going to happen because when you are there, you don't know if someone would come in there and something might happen."

After spending time living with her cousin, who she refers to as her sister, her mum decided to take Viktoriia and their Chihuahua to the nearest city which was Paltova.

"My mum decided to take me out, so we went to closest city to Poltava, and people from there provided us a house, which was very nice, to be honest," she says.

"We were driving there because it was a green corridor, so it was safe zone.

"But then we heard shootings in the forest. I still don't know what was in that forest, but I just know the sound.

"All the cars started turning around, but my mom was like stunned. She just couldn't move."

The family then decided to come to the UK, after a friend who was already here offered to help with the process.

Viktoriia explains: "We headed over to Poland. Stayed there for a couple of weeks, and then we came in England."

Viktoriia initially moved to Sturminster Newton in Dorset.

She says: "It was really challenging because when I came here I didn't know any language. I couldn't even introduce myself. And I was put in year 11, I met a Ukrainian girl, we're really good friends, but it was really, really difficult for me to adapt.

"I was getting avoided, I didn't feel included.

"I was there [in Sturminster Newton] doing my GCSEs one year. So, I got them. I went to another school in six form, did four A-levels, and then I came into Bournemouth University to do my journalism degree."

Looking back, Viktoriia says it is a shock to see where she has ended up.

"Four years ago I couldn't even speak English. Now I'm in university doing a degree. I would not expect this.

"I want to be back home. I want Ukraine to be free. That's all I want. And then I'll be free, if Ukraine will be free."

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