Ukrainian refugee flees war to live in Worthing - 'I hope one day, I will be able to return'

Oksana and her ten-year-old, British, son were among the first to leave Ukraine, just 24 hours after the Russian invasion began in February.

"We woke up and were told we were under attack," Oksana, who is in her mid-30s, said. "It was a shock.

"There is no school, nothing and you have to pack your bag. You don't know where to start. You're in a mess. It's total panic.

"In my head, I was thinking I would wake up the next day and it would be another day. It didn't feel at all real.

"I had to be responsible for getting us out, when Boris Johnson said all British nationals must leave."

'We went under the ground the whole night'

Oksana said she had to hide in the basement with her son when an air raid siren sounded.

She said: "At night it became more intense. We started to hear alarms.

"We had to go under the ground. We didn't know what we should take and how long would we would be there for.

"We brought water, phone charger and warm clothes. My son wanted to bring his bible and a chess board with him.

"We went under the ground the whole night."

'They told me we were the first ones to come through'

The journey from their home in Ternopil to the UK began the next morning, with a ten-hour train trip across the border to Poland.

"It was terrifying," Oksana said. "You work half of your life for a house. I had a flat, a car and just had to leave it all.

"I just left everything in the parking place. I just hope my house will still be visible and one day I might be able to return to it."

On the train journey, Oksana added: "I was thinking, how can I get on with no ticket?

"We came to the station and were told if we could get on, we could.

"The train was packed full of people. There was no chance to go to toilet and we didn't eat for 15 hours."

They spent one week in Poland waiting to be contacted by the Home Office.

Eventually, they were asked to provide their flight information so Border Control could be given eight hours notice.

Oksana said: "They then said I was free to travel.

"There was a security check and they told me we were the first ones to come through."

'Our home is going to be here'

After arriving in the UK on a Saturday, Oksana and her son collected their residency cards in Brighton.

They then approached West Sussex County Council for accommodation and were given a temporary home in Worthing.

Rent payments have been covered but Oksana said she has been told she must pay surcharges and apply for housing benefit.

"There are no cooking facilities at all," she said. "The council said they haven't been notified about next steps with people like me, they don't know.

"I have no renting history or nothing in the country. When I go to the agency, I'm told to pay six months up front, minimum, deposit included.

"A family in London offered us flat for six months but they don't know how to proceed. My council said they have to talk to their local council."

West Sussex County Council said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

A spokesperson added: "As a council, we stand with the people of the Ukraine and want to offer our support.

“Our Refugee Resettlement Team continues to support those arriving from Ukraine and will follow Government guidance and directives as they are issued.

"Along with all district and borough councils in the county, we will support this effort.

“You can find more information on refugee resettlement in West Sussex on our website.”

Despite the uncertainly over their living situation, Oksana and her son are trying their best to settle in Worthing.

"Our home is going to be here," Oksana said.

"He needs to go to school. I can't keep changing it.

"A [primary] school accepted him in after we explained the situation. He's a year in advance as, [in Ukraine], he was was already in the first year of high school.

"I need to make my plans not about me, but about him.

"For me, there was stress as this was something I didn't plan.

"You have plans in your life and then one day you go in a totally opposite direction. You don't know what to expect."

Reports of bombings are 'scary'

Oksana said many people have decided not to flee the war in Ukraine, including her family.

She said it was hard to leave her loved ones behind but she remains in contact and is given regular updates.

Oksana said people in Ukraine are trying their best to carry on as normal, adding: "They are old people. It's their home, how can they leave?"

"My mum wanted to paint the walls and asked someone to help with fixing the gates.

"They are safe at the moment. But we are hearing about bombings when there are houses and people living nearby.

"It's scary.

"My mum said she was already preparing to die. They've just given up."

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