A SLOUGH woman is 'trying to keep strong' as she watches her family and friends in Ukraine struggling in the country.
Oksana Rakhra, 33, 2008 Olympian for Ukraine, who now lives in Slough, currently Facetime’s her mum, dad, brother and all her friends each day as they currently live in fear of what the next day will bring.
The mother-of-two, who moved to Slough with her husband in 2017, said it’s “really horrible” what’s happening in Ukraine.
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It is now day eight of Russia’s horrific invasion on Ukraine and many citizens are fearing for their life in underground bunkers.
And Oksana has put an emotional plea for help calling people to donate goods to be delivered to families and front line soldiers she knows personally.
They’ll be delivered to her village Ivanychi, in Volyn, on the border with Poland, for essentials they require urgently.
““We may not be able to help those who have been killed but we can at least help the people who are still alive, they have lost everything.”
She said her brother, in Kharkiv, goes out each day to get food for the rest of the family.
She added: “Everyone who is there is doing something to help, there is always someone looking out for people and trying to do what they can to support each other.
“All of my family and friends are sitting underneath the bunkers right now, they don’t have anything, it’s a very hard situation.
“All they hear are bombs every single night, explosions, and one night I couldn’t get hold of my brother at all and I couldn’t sleep.”
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When asked how she is coping being in the UK, knowing what’s going on in Ukraine, Oksana said she’s trying to keep strong in front of her kids back home.
“I’m always keeping myself busy here when I’m around my kids in the house so it’s easy to be distracted, but when I’m not around my children I get so emotional.
“I just feel really want this all to be over and if we all come together to support hopefully, we can help as best as we can.”
Oksana, with the help of Jet Singh Trust, has asked if anyone wishes to donate to contact her direct on her Instagram page @vashchuk_rakhra.
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