War in Ukraine: Mum and son fled for life in Shetland

Tatyana, Tony, Serhii and Helen are getting to know each other

A Ukrainian mother has told how she and her teenage son are adapting to life in Shetland after fleeing the conflict.

Tatyana Safronova and 14-year-old Serhii are finding their feet far from Dnipro with Tony and Helen Erwood.

They were among the first Ukrainian refugees to be flown to Scotland after being granted visas.

A grateful Tatyana said: "I really hope that we will soon be back to Ukraine, and will dream that we will live our usual life."

Her partner Oleksandr urged them to leave after the Russian invasion.

"He told me that we should leave the city," she said.

"He said he would feel more comfortable serving in the army if he knew that we were safe."

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They arrived in Scotland at the end of March, and flew to Shetland on 3 April to meet their hosts.

The pilot gave them a hug when they landed and told them they were safe.

Tatyana and Serhii are having to make some adjustments

Tatyana, through an interpreter, told BBC Radio Shetland: "In Ukraine we had to leave our entire lives in the city of Dnipro, my partner remained, he serves in the army.

"We had to leave our cat, and all our friends and relatives. Many have gone to serve in the army."

Tony explained: "We saw pictures on TV and it's just almost unbelievable, I never thought we'd see things like that in our lifetime. It was just horrific.

"We see all these people trying desperately to get out of Ukraine and we thought we have got space here and we could provide accommodation for some people."

Freedom to grow

Helen said that if it happened to them they would want somebody to offer "sanctuary and kindness".

She said: "I am old enough to be Tatyana's mum and Serhii's granny - sort of surrogate grandparents in a way, looking after them.

"We feel very strongly that we have a duty of care, to protect their privacy, to allow them the freedom to grow, to do whatever they want here, to learn about our culture.

"And we are, very badly, learning a bit of Ukrainian as we go.

"Also introducing them to foods they haven't had - pickled onions have been a revelation, and potato waffles."

Tony laughed: "When Tatyana and Serhii arrived in the UK the first meal they wanted was fish and chips - which they got."

The welcome from the local community has been praised

Helen said the Shetland weather and driving conditions had been a challenge.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland, she said: "It's been so cold since they got here, winds that cut through you, they're not used to it.

"And explaining to Tatyana when she's driving - she's learning to drive one of our cars - that she's got to park into the wind, otherwise you might damage the doors. She's never come across that before.

"I think for her personally single-track roads have been quite a challenge, particularly where there are sheep wandering about."

Tatyana said the local community had been fantastic. Serhii is settling in and has just started secondary school.

She said: "Serhii behaves like a typical teenager, he spends a lot of time at the computer and on the phone.

"But he spends his time also walking around the island with great interest, studying the nature.

"I hope that the time spent at the local school will do him some good, and he will improve his English."

During World War 2 Tony and Helen's house was a base for ferrying agents, resistance fighters and refugees between occupied Norway and Shetland.

More than 75 years on it is once again a sanctuary for those seeking refuge.

Helen said: "It gave hope to the Norwegians, and I think it's very poetic in a way that we're trying to give hope to Ukrainians here again.

"One or two people have said it's completely fitting that they should be staying here."

The hosts said Tatyana and Serhii had "joined the family", but hoped it would not be too long before they could visit them when they were back in Ukraine.

Helen said: "We want to help them rebuild their lives."

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