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Vira Sachyialska reunited with Albany parents after escaping Ukraine and leaving everything behind

Elyce Holden and Kellie BalaamThe West Australian
VideoAn Albany couple have been reunited with their daughter, who dodged the fighting in Ukraine to escape from the country nd make her way to Australia.

An Albany couple have been reunited with their daughter after she escaped Ukraine and made her way to Australia — leaving her partner behind to defend their home.

Vira Sachyialska made a gruelling trip from Cherkasy, 200km south of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, where she escaped to the Polish border in what was a 24-hour journey.

Ms Sachyialska told GWN7 News about her terrifying experience of being in a war zone.

“It was quite scary for everybody, because you’re not safe, nobody’s safe, your relatives are not safe and you don’t know what to do and don’t know where to go, or maybe you should not go anywhere and just say here at your home or not,” she said.

The woman has been reunited with her parents, Liuda and Simon Wilson, who reside in the Great Southern city of Albany.

“When she was here, we were very happy. We were really worried about her because family were in areas where there was increased fighting and we wanted to get her out of the country before there was more trouble in her town and her city,” they told GWN7 News.

Ms Sachyialska said her partner stayed behind in Ukraine to defend their home.

“We went to territory defence to find a place for him and maybe some uniform for him, find a place where he can defend his territory,” she said.

“He’s a reserved person, he’s like a reserved person and if they will need him he will go, they will call him.”

Vira Sachyialska with her parents  Liuda and Simon Wilson in Albany.
Camera IconVira Sachyialska with her parents Liuda and Simon Wilson in Albany. Credit: GWN7

In the last 24 hours, several media outlets reported that at least 300 hundred people were killed in a massacre in Bucha, 37km from Kyiv.

The Albany couple said they hoped the war would “be stopped as soon as possible and our family will be safe”.

However Ms Sachyialska will continue to feel the trauma she witnessed in Ukraine for a long time yet.

“The first morning here, I woke up and I hear like planes over my head. Vroom, vroom. And first thought was oh no, for a few second and then oh no, it’s ok, Vira, it’s Australia, nothing will happen here so first thought was like, oh,” she said.

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