Ukraine: Brighton man flees Kyiv fearing family's safety

Dan Baker said he decided to get his family out of Kyiv for their safety

A man living in Kyiv said he decided to flee the city because he feared what would happen to his Ukrainian wife and step-daughter.

Dan Baker from Brighton has been living in the city for five years.

He and his family have joined the convoy of cars escaping the city.

He said: "From what I heard, what the Russian soldiers are doing with the wives and daughters of soldiers they have killed, it's unthinkable that could happen to my family.

"Leaving Kyiv was a very difficult decision, but the balance of safety for my family has changed.

"It really hurt me so much, because I thought this was going to be my home."

'Ahead of the game'

Mr Baker said the queue they had now joined was 12.5 miles (20km), and said they had been on the road for three days.

He said: "Twenty-five minutes after we left the city, eight missiles were fired at the airport, so we're staying just ahead of the game at the moment, we're going to keep going west and hope everything works out."

His wife Victoria said she feels "empty".

She said: "I have to think about my child, I have to think about our future, I want her to be happy and alive."

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Meanwhile, food donated to the war relief effort is being held up by border checks at Dover, according to the Polish expats who collected it.

Vans from Lewisham Polish Centre spent Sunday night at Dover because of hold-ups with documentation.

Agnieszka Lokaj said: "The drivers spent two nights on the border, waiting for solutions and clarifications.

"We have four or five tonnes waiting to be shipped, we have drivers on standby but we are waiting to make sure we are using the legal and correct way.

"We have food here and people are starving there. That's not right, that's not fair."

She added that the centre is running out of space and may have to turn away donations.

The government has been contacted for a response.

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