Ukrainian Woolton Hill resident's family safe after fleeing country
A Ukrainian Woolton Hill resident has expressed hope for her family after they safely escaped from the war torn country into Moldova – and said she had been “overwhelmed” by support from the community.
Tanya Tame, who lives with her husband Alex and their three children, said her parents Alexander and Kateryna, as well as her sister, brother-in-law and their young son, had successfully fled Ukraine on Tuesday morning after spending four nights in a cellar in their garden.
They are now travelling through Romania on their way to Budapest in Hungary where they will stay, before applying for the new British migration visa – which allows for any person settled in the UK to bring their Ukrainian “immediate family members” to join them.
Despite warnings that Russia was preparing to invade, Mrs Tame said her parents – who are both in their late sixties – hadn’t had a plan to leave Ukraine as “they didn’t think anything would happen”.
They first made the decision to flee the country on Friday, but were forced to take shelter in the cellar as sirens suddenly blared out, following what was feared to be a potential “imminent air attack”.
After a few days in the cellar, they made the decision to flee to the Moldovan border in the southwest.
Mrs Tame, a translator, said: “All I keep thinking is, they’re in a Golf, five of them with their whole life packed into the car.
“It’s an unimaginable tragedy, I hope they’ll survive it.
“Nobody wants to do that [flee] – they have homes, and they’re going into the unknown.”
As of 1pm yesterday (Wednesday), there was fierce fighting across Ukraine as Russian paratroopers assaulted the second largest city of Kharkiv in the northeast, while Russia claimed that the port city of Kherson on the Black Sea was now under its control.
The United Nations said at least 536 civilians, including 13 children, had been killed since the invasion last week, with Kharkiv subjected to a barrage of missiles, including in residential areas.
In Kyiv, a television tower next to a burial site of thousands of Jews murdered by the Nazis was struck by a missile, while there were reports of a 40-mile long convoy of Russian armoured vehicles to the north of the capital.
Mrs Tame said that the invasion had had the effect of uniting the world, and added “you can really see the humanity of the world” as countries come together to support Ukraine.
In West Berkshire, collections have been set up for much-needed donations, while councils have shown they are ready to support refugees if needed.
Mrs Tame, who moved to the UK with Mr Tame in 2003, said: “People are amazing here – I’ve been overwhelmed with the response, seeing how much people help people they don’t know, of all nationalities.
“In West Berkshire there are lots of groups collecting things and I had nothing to do with it – the Polish communities organised a lot of help.
“I feel that the world is really united now, it’s just a shame it’s taken so many lives. That’s the thought I keep having.
“Lots of people who I’ve known for 20 years, both British people and from other countries, send me messages asking how they could help.
“At the moment we’re looking for a place for my family to stay in Budapest and we’ve already been offered some places.”
Mrs Tame said anyone wanting to donate can go through large charities like Save the Children and Oxfam.
Mr and Mrs Tame first met while working with charity Hope Now – a Southampton-based organisation which supports Ukrainians with health care, summer camps and education.
Anyone who would like to help with the current crisis can visit www.hopenow.org.uk.
Alternatively, call +44 (0)23 8078 0720.