Ukraine: Every day we wait for an attack, says returned refugee

Iryna Basaraba gave birth less than two weeks after arriving in Dromore

A Ukrainian woman who was one of the first refugees to give birth in Northern Ireland after fleeing the war has returned to Lviv with her baby.

At 30 weeks pregnant, Iryna Basaraba drove her five-year-old son, teenage sister and mother from Lviv to Poland before travelling to Northern Ireland.

She gave birth less than two weeks after arriving in Dromore, County Down.

Ms Basaraba said when she returned to Ukraine in September, her young baby cried at the sound of sirens.

The Executive Office has told BBC News NI 1,977 people came to Northern Ireland under the Homes for Ukraine scheme this year.

They are aware of 64 people having moved on from their sponsor, either returning to Ukraine, living independently or settling in other parts of the UK and Ireland.

'Very scary'

Iryna told Good Morning Ulster it was a difficult decision and she continued to live in fear for her family's safety.

"It was a very hard decision, but I really wanted to be with my family and to be with my husband, and I understand it's very dangerous but my children need a father, and we don't know and we didn't know how long this war would last so I decided to return."

Iryna, Petro, Oleg and Victoria back in Lviv

Most men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country as they must stay and join the armed forces.

"It is very scary, especially when the sirens go off warning about missile attacks.

"On the first day after arriving in Ukraine it was especially scary. Oleg, who's five years old, was afraid all the time when the siren went off, and baby Victoria was also afraid, she starts to cry all the time as soon as she hears the sirens."

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"Every day we wait for an attack and we don't know if we'll have electricity in the next few hours, and if we don't have electricity, we don't have water.

"I hope that people who still stay abroad, should be abroad, and not come back to Ukraine."

Host Margaret Pepper said she understood the decision.

Baby Viktoria was born in Northern Ireland

"I think it was a very tough decision for Iryna who wanted her children to have their daddy, and I totally understood that.

"But we all worried about them going back to a warzone, but they are so resilient and resourceful and they are coping on an everyday basis. But we miss them. We talk to them two or three times a week."

Iryna's mother Oksana and sister Sofia continue to live with their hosts in County Down.

Looking ahead to 2023, Wallace Pepper said he hoped there would be peace in Ukraine.

"We hope and pray that the war will end and that Sofia and Oksana will have the liberty to decide when to return and if they want to return. And to just enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy and take so much for granted."

You can listen to Good Morning Ulster on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds.