Ukraine: Cwmbran sisters 'broken' after helping family flee

Two women have been left "broken" trying to help their young half-sister and stepmother flee Ukraine.

Lisa Phillips-White and Hannah Boalch from Cwmbran, Torfaen, said they were desperate to fly out and collect six-year-old Miroslava and Lesia from Kyiv when the fighting started.

Instead, they had to try everything they could to help their family escape, even monitoring live CCTV for bombs.

Their half-sister and stepmother have made it across the border to Poland.

But the stress of trying to rescue their family from more than 1,000 miles away has taken its toll - and they still face so much uncertainty about the future.

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"I didn't sleep for the first full two days and nights," said Hannah, 39.

"It was the shock of what was happening. They sent us videos of their journey, airships bombing and firing, helicopters flying overhead."

"I had a live stream on my phone of security camera from Kyiv," added 41-year-old Lisa.

"I was watching, making sure where the bombing was and if it was anywhere near them. It was all-consuming."

Miroslava and Lesia made it across the border to Poland

Hannah said that when the Russian attacks first started, Lesia and Miroslava, who live in an apartment block, attempted to seek shelter in the basement of their church.

But after seeing other children die, Lesia realised they need to escape.

"They all jumped in the car, they had nothing. When Lesia left it was just the clothes on her back," said Hannah.

Lisa and Hannah have since monitored Lesia and Miroslava's escape through constant voice messages and photos - but being stuck so far away was "one of the worst feelings in the world".

"My phone is next to my pillow on loud all night - it's awful but you're waiting for that message," said Hannah.

"My little sister likes to send me voice messages - so sometimes my phone constantly goes off.

"I think, is this the message that's going to say that's it - that they can't get out - or that something has happened to the little one?

"It started to snow the other day, these are women and children who grabbed their things in 15 minutes, they're not prepared for snow. There are no food stations, no toilets, nothing."

A soldier stands by debris of military plane shot down in Ukraine

Lesia and Miroslava were able to make it to a small town near the border and track down someone able to take them to the start of the queue to cross into Poland for a fee.

However, it was rumoured that standing outside in the queue could take days in sub-zero conditions.

"They messaged to say they needed funds," said Hannah.

"They were using their last pay to get to safety. We tried everything to get funds to them."

Lisa and Hannah said their bank was eventually able to help them transfer money in branch, but they face waiting days to find out whether Lesia and Miroslava receive it.

Lesia and Miroslava are now being supported and looked after by friends in Poland.

Their future is still far from certain though, with Lisa and Hannah desperate to offer them a home in Wales if permitted.

"We're starting to think about what could happen if they need to come here.

"We would support them in any way that we can - they are our family and that's what you do for family.

"They are going through so much - and I want them to know that we're thinking of them."

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