Our story began with decisions that are never easy.
Over time, however, reality became heavier. Constant shelling, worry for our children and education that was growing increasingly difficult and unstable. The hardest part was looking at our daughters and realizing they were growing up in fear — something no child should have to get used to.
At the time, it felt like a miracle: strangers, another country, another language and suddenly so much kindness and support. Marien and Robert welcomed us as if we were not guests, but family. We still live with them, feeling their support every day — in small gestures, in words, in genuine care. With them beside us, a foreign country became a little closer and warmer.
Alyona, Eduard and their daughters’ Story, in their own words:
Our story began with decisions that are never easy.
My name is Alyona. My husband Eduard and I have two daughters: our eldest, Taisiia and our youngest, Zlata. Once, our life was different: military service, a familiar routine and plans that felt clear and certain. We were both served in military service, which meant responsibility, strength and constant tension, but also a sense that we were exactly where we were meant to be.
Over time, however, reality became heavier. Constant shelling, worry for our children and education that was growing increasingly difficult and unstable. The hardest part was looking at our daughters and realizing they were growing up in fear, something no child should have to get used to.
The decision to leave did not come suddenly. We talked about it for a long time, weighed our options and doubted ourselves. Eduard could not leave his service, but I had the opportunity to resign. That meant one thing: I would go with the children, and he would stay behind. Accepting this was perhaps the most painful part. Separating a family, even temporarily, is a trial you can never truly prepare for.
We began searching for a way to leave and that is how people entered our lives whom we now speak of with deep gratitude and warmth. On Facebook, we found Marien and Robert - people who agreed to become our sponsors. At the time, it felt like a miracle: strangers, another country, another language and suddenly so much kindness and support.
In September 2024, Taisiia, Zlata, and I travelled to England. The journey was both emotional and anxious. Ahead of us was a new life, while behind we left our home, relatives, my husband, parents - a piece of our hearts that cannot be packed into a suitcase.
Marien and Robert welcomed us as if we were not guests, but family. We still live with them, feeling their support every day — in small gestures, in words, in genuine care. With them beside us, a foreign country became a little closer and warmer.
A month after arriving, I began working from home as a seamstress. It was a small but meaningful victory — to feel again that you can stand on your own feet, that you can work and move forward. Marien’s daughter, Rebecca, helped me find clients and that support meant a great deal to me.
The children started school. They received what we had dreamed of for them — a peaceful life and proper education without sirens or fear. Watching them adjust, make friends, laugh and plan their future is a great joy. Yet even in those moments, there is a quiet longing in my heart for loved ones, for home and for Eduard, who is far away.
Sometimes I think this time is teaching me strength in a different way — not military strength, but a quiet, everyday resilience: managing daily life, raising children, making decisions alone, living in another country without my husband or parents nearby.
It is not easy. There are days when exhaustion and sadness feel stronger than I want to admit. But there are also other days when I look at my daughters, at the people who support us, at the life that continues and I understand that we have come a long way and we keep moving forward.
Our story is not only about leaving home. It is about love that holds a family together even across distance. About people who become dear to you, even if they were once strangers. And about the truth that strength sometimes shows itself not in fighting, but in preserving life and giving children a peaceful sky.
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