Ukraine war TikToker's journey to safety in the UK

Valeria Shashenok started documenting Russia's invasion of Ukraine on TikTok

On 24 February 2022, life changed completely for many Ukrainians - including Valeria Shashenok.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine led millions to flee their homes and their country.

"It was a nightmare. I couldn't realise this had happened and I was living in a bomb shelter with my parents," Valeria tells BBC Newsbeat.

This festive season, the 21-year-old will be spending Christmas and New Year's not with her loved ones back home, but with her "British family" in London.

"A big table with nice food. New Year is the big party that I always celebrate."

But this year has not had much to celebrate for Valeria, particularly when the war broke out.

If her face seems familiar, it's because Valeria's TikTok videos documenting the damage and destruction caused by Russian missiles went viral.

"I understood it was my weapon to use and spread information about my country," says Valeria, from Chernihiv.

"I recorded it because I felt I could do that in my native city. I saw these buildings that I spent my school time."

Valeria says making videos was a way of protecting her mental health and her "key to not fully accepting what was happening".

"But when you see thousands killed, you realise it's not a movie. It's life and my country."

Valeria eventually made the decision to leave Ukraine.

She describes taking a slow seven-hour car journey from Chernihiv to Kyiv, and then a train to the city of Lviv, before another 12-hour journey to Poland, eventually reaching a friend's home in Warsaw.

"I was so happy to get there. But my mind was completely in Ukraine."

Valeria is a photographer and visited Ukraine a few months ago, hoping it can be peaceful enough to live there again

She's now in the UK, reaching London thanks to a mixture of luck and kindness.

Valeria put on her Instagram Story that she was planning to come to Britain and was looking for a place to stay.

She had a response from someone who offered a room in their house for free.

"I now live with a British family and it's amazing that people can help. I've met so many nice people who helped me a lot."

Valeria is trying to raise money to rebuild her uncle's home, where she spent much time

She describes what Russia has done as "genocide in my country with many Ukrainians killed".

One of those is someone extremely close to Valeria's heart - her cousin, who she considered a brother.

"He was 18 years old and in this nightmare, he unfortunately left the bomb shelter where he was with my parents.

"He was in his house when a Russian missile went off in the area. And he was dead in front of his father."

Though she is now over a thousand miles away in London, Valeria still feels her country's pain and the "terrible situation" it is in.

"My parents do not have electricity at home. My friends do not have water and this winter is the hardest because of the conditions."

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Valeria says she is just waiting for a "peaceful period".

A few days ago, she found out her visa application for the UK has been successful.

"I need to be happy, I need to feel it. I don't want to be sad everyday because I have war life - but I have my life. And of course I need to focus also on my life."

"I want to continue to spread information about my country and to be a person who has the power of a voice because I feel that I can impact people."

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