Ukraine: Eastbourne families fight to get their loved ones into the UK

Some Eastbourne residents have been desperately trying to get their family members from Ukraine to the UK as they look to escape the war.

Anastasia Turner, who has lived in Eastbourne for five years, said the process to get her family into the country is ‘very complicated’.

She said, “They cannot get to us because they cannot get an appointment.

“Definitely they should make it easier. Especially for the people who have families here.

“We are so helpless because we cannot do anything. We are trying.”

Mrs Turner, who lives in Vicarage Road, said it is hard enough to apply with wifi in a house - let alone in a war zone.

She added, “Get people to safety. They do not deserve this kind of treatment.

“They are fleeing for their lives. They have left everything behind. They have nothing, absolutely nothing.

“Their lives are destroyed and they are scared.”

Mrs Turner is currently fighting to get her sister, brother-in-law and their children into the country.

She said, “I do not think people actually realise what is going on.

“I only sleep a couple of hours a night.

“I have to call them every hour to make sure they are alive.

“We are trying to get them to safety here.”

Mrs Turner’s husband, Howard, said his wife’s family had gone to a country house 50km from Kyiv but had to move on as they could hear shots being fired over their home.

He said, “They queued for five hours to get 20 litres of petrol.”

Mr Turner said the family had to spend a night in their car while it was -5° outside.

He added, “There are so many people in need of help in this humanitarian disaster, it’s easy to get overlooked in this overwhelming sea of lost people.”

Another concern for the couple was for their nephew, Denni, who has ‘severe’ haemophilia.

Haemophilia is a rare condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot - according to the NHS.

Mr Turner said the family had run out of Denni’s medication and didn’t have access to a hospital.

The Eastbourne father said they had alerted a UK haemophilia society.

Mr Turner added, “They are aware he is in extreme danger.

“We also contacted Save the Children.”

Mr Turner said the family has since crossed the border into Hungary and has a visa appointment scheduled for today (Monday, March 14).

Kateryna Fylypova, of Longstone Road, is also trying to get her 15-year-old son and mother into the country.

She said, “It is horrible. You cannot sleep normal, someone might try to kill you. It is a horrible situation.

“It is like a horrible movie. I cannot believe it.”

Mrs Fylypova said she is unsure whether her friends are still alive.

She said, “A lot of my friends, they don’t have any signal. I think these people have just passed away.”

Mrs Fylypova, who is originally from Kyiv, said she has been trying to get her son, Timoy, into the UK for around eight months - since before the war broke out

She said, “He is crying, scared. He says, ‘Mum, please can you take me, can you help me?’ He is scared going to bed.”

The mother of two said the paperwork to reunite her with Timoy has been complicated.

Mrs Fylypova, who currently lives with her 11-year-old son, said, “It is not easy. It is killing me.

“How long this will take? I don’t know.

“I do not know how I will do this because it is not easy.”

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