Three years on, as the war continues in Ukraine, and bombs still go off in Kharkiv, she is practising medicine again in London and helping other refugee health workers find their footing in the UK.“Before the war, I thought I’d reached everything I wanted,” she said. “I had my career, my family, my home. There was never any thought of leaving.”
A white hatchback car is packed with belongings and luggage, with its doors open. A person is seen at the rear of the vehicle, appearing to be in the process of loading or unloading items. Inna’s story traces the journey of one of more than 260,000 Ukrainians who found safety in the United Kingdom following the invasion – a journey marked by loss, resilience and the transformative power of welcome.
It also highlights what happens when skilled refugees are given the chance to contribute.
Escaping the war with help
When the war broke out, and as fighting intensified and buildings around them were destroyed, Inna and her family – her two daughters, her parents and her cat – fled Kharkiv with only a few documents and belongings, thinking that they would return home within a couple of days. Driving for more than 26 hours through Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, the family were welcomed by strangers sharing food, safety and kindness. “I still remember them,” she said of the volunteers who chose to help. “Like part of the family.”
After travelling through Bulgaria and reconnecting with friends she had met years earlier in London, Inna arrived in the UK in May 2022 through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, a community-led initiative that allows people across the UK to sponsor Ukrainians fleeing the war by offering safe accommodation and the chance to rebuild their lives.
Source: The UN
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