A UKRAINIAN woman who was forced to flee her home due to the Russian invasion has set up an online fundraising page so she can start working again.
Yuliia Kutsaieva and her husband now live with sponsor Susan Dowie in Greystoke. Yuliia worked as an illustrator back in Ukraine, working for companies like Shutterstock and Adobe as well as part time work for private clients.
READ MORE: Ukraine Crisis Appeal raises more than £33,000 for Red Cross thanks to Newsquest readers
She was forced to leave her equipment, including a desktop computer, behind when the attack reached her home city of Melitopol.
Yuliia has launched a GoFundMe page with a £1,200 target so she can purchase a new laptop.
Sharing her experience with the invasion, Yuliia said: “Melitopol was occupied on the second day of war. After that, living in the city became very hard and scary.
“The price for food became insane and almost all medicine was gone in the first few days because Russian soldiers did not allow the Ukrainian government to bring food and medicine for people to city. There was no work, no internet and bad mobile network.
“Soldiers broke into the entrance to the building where we lived three times to kidnap other people. We lived like that for more than a month before deciding to move from our city.”
Continuing with how she ended up in Cumbria, Yuliia said: “We found sponsors from Greystoke on Facebook. We didn't get to choose where we could live.”
“Greystoke is a good place with good people. We were too afraid to live in Melitopol, almost half of the population has now evacuated. Before the war, there was 140,000 people living there.
“Cumbria is very beautiful place. Sometimes we feel like we are at home in Ukraine, the nature looks familiar.”
Finishing on how helpful her sponsors have been, Yuliia said: “Susan is very helpful and kind. She helps with a lot, including the documents we need to sign. She takes me to the doctor and helps get food shopping in Penrith.”
“It was Susan's daughter Meghan’s idea to start a GoFundMe page. I am very grateful to everyone that has helped me in these hard times. They are wonderful!”
You can donate to Yuliia’s GoFundMe page by searching ‘Ukrainian refugee artist’ on the website.
READ MORE: More visas approved for Ukrainian refugees in Carlisle
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