'I'm running for everyone from Ukraine': Refugee running Cardiff Half Marathon to support aid effort

Report by ITV Wales reporter Kate Lewis.

A woman who left Kyiv just five weeks ago will run the Cardiff Half Marathon this Sunday to raise money for Ukrainian aid efforts.

Inna Gordiienko has already raised over £3,000 on her fundraising page for the Disaster Emergency Committee, which coordinates humanitarian relief for families fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

Inna and her British husband made the decision to leave their home in Kyiv to come to the UK over a month ago, but many of their loved ones are still in Ukraine.

Inna says she's incredibly proud of being a Ukrainian, and of her country's "rich culture and brave people."

Inna said both her mother and grandmother have lost their homes since Russia invaded: "Many of my friends ended up in situations where they did not have food to eat or water to drink.

"They are spending days underground in basements, trying to save their lives.

"I am lucky to be in the UK with a part of my family, who truly cares for me. But I would like to do more."

Inna signed up for the Cardiff Half Marathon over three years ago, but had forgotten all about it until she received an email a few weeks ago saying that she had been allocated a place.

She has decided to take part in the race to show her solidarity with other refugees and those caught up in the conflict, as well as raising money for the vital aid efforts.

Inna manages to speak to her family and friends in Ukraine several times a day.

Inna told ITV Wales: "I am running for each and every person from Ukraine, who identifies themselves as Ukrainians, whose values are freedom, diversity, dignity, independence, for everyone who shares that."

"It's a constant battle inside me whether I want to stay here or whether I travel to Ukraine and help out there, but I know if I travel to Ukraine now I might not be as useful as I am here.

"So far I've managed to coordinate lots of humanitarian help to everyone I know in Ukraine and support my friends and family as much as I can from a distance."

Inna says it "deeply hurts" her to see how her home has been destroyed by the conflict.

A keen runner, Inna has already completed dozens of half-marathons in Ukraine and across Europe. But even though she hasn't had a chance to train for more than a year, she says that won't stop her from taking part and representing her country.

She has been posting regular updates about her progress on her JustGiving page.

"If I can't run it, I'll just walk it and you know, give high fives to people and dance around the route."

She says that she will be keeping her home country and loved ones in her thoughts as she completes the route through Cardiff on Sunday.

"All of my previous life will be going through my mind. I think the faces of my family, my friends, the places I use to go, my native town which is half destroyed now."