Weymouth woman's trip to save mum who had to flee Ukraine

Irina Wilson said 72-year-old Alla Yuzhakova was in her home city of Mykolayiv when the Russian invasion began. She was forced to flee her home, and walk in snow and rain to the Moldovan border, where she was fed by strangers - before eventually making it to the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

Mykolayiv. Picture: Irina Wilson

It was at Bucharest Airport last Friday that Mrs Wilson was finally united with her mum, who suffers with cancer, after what she described as a 'nightmare and terror'.

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Mrs Wilson, 41, who works as a teaching assistant at St George's Primary school on Portland, said: "She was in Ukraine the day the war started.

"After a nightmare week, my poor mum walked in the snow and rain to get out of Ukraine and over the Moldovan border.

"Once in Moldova, she was fed by strangers and was then given a lift to the capital Chișinău, where she was able to board a bus to travel to Bucharest."

Mykolayiv. Picture: Irina Wilson

Mrs Wilson, who hails from Mykolayiv in Ukraine, flew over to the Romanian capital immediately to bring her mum safely home to the UK.

"There were masses of Ukrainian people in Romania," she said.

"As soon as I arrived, I just tried my best to support my mum, who was exhausted.

"My mum is 72 years old and a cancer patient.

"Mum had been forced to spend days and nights in a bomb shelter in shock, disbelief and terror."

Mrs Wilson's husband Luke picked both of them up from Heathrow Airport on Friday evening and took them home to Weymouth.

"We are both very tired. Mum's rescue plan was a fast mission with many kind people involved," said Mrs Wilson.

"I would like to give my gratitude to the Romanian and Moldovan people, who have been very supportive and kind.

"Although she is now safe, we left so many loved ones behind.

"Our hearts ache for Ukraine, its people and children.

"Most people who stranded are refugees - some are like my mum trying to travel, and rejoin their families elsewhere."

Mrs Wilson came to Weymouth in 2009. She met her husband while working at St George's Primary, where they both later married 2016.

Mrs Wilson's eldest daughter Zarena, 15, is currently undertaking her mock exams at All Saints Academy in Weymouth.

Mrs Wilson said: "Zarena is staying strong during her mocks because she is quite worried about the war in Ukraine. She often visited Ukraine during her childhood years.

"My youngest daughter Audrey is four years old, and is in reception at St George's Primary where we work.

"We had plans to go to Ukraine this Easter break. We still have flights booked. We wanted our friends and relatives to meet Audrey and Zarena. We were looking forward to seeing everyone again.

"Unfortunately because of Covid we had to reschedule many times and now this war made it impossible for us to go.

"Who knows when we will be able to see our loved ones again? I am just praying that they are safe and we will see them again one day."