Ukraine war: Mum reunited with daughter in Swindon after fleeing conflict

  • Watch Ken Goodwin's report

A Ukrainian woman is recovering with family in Wiltshire after fleeing the war-torn country with just a backpack.

Ludmilla Mosalenco left Kyiv following Russia's invasion and managed to reach the Romanian border before travelling to her daughter's home in Swindon.

Ludmilla escaped from bomb shelters and had to walk for miles in order to reach her daughter, who she never thought she would see again.

Lesia Mosalenco translated as her mother told ITV News how grateful she is to be with family once again.

Lesia is grateful to be able to hug her mum again Credit: ITV West Country

'Escape the horror'

"She feels very safe here and she’s very happy to be with us. She thanks us a lot for helping her to escape from this horror," Lesia said.

"I think it is a moment that I will remember for the whole of my life and you cannot explain it by words.

"I still have very close relatives - my uncle and aunt in Ukraine and some of them are quite old and I still don't know if I will hug them in this life."

Lesia lives in Swindon with her fiancée Vadym Gurevych, who is also Ukrainian.

He is currently waiting for his elderly father to come to the UK.

Vadym is concerned about his elderly father who is still in Kharkiv Credit: Vadym Gurevych

Vadym’s father has been sheltering from Russian attacks and his son is growing increasingly concerned because of the intensifying violence.

Vadym explained: "He had to stay in Kharkiv which is very close to the Russian border.

"It is the city which has been the most bombarded and hit by the missiles, bombs, tanks, shelling and whatever else is happening.

"The Russians, instead of fighting the Ukrainian army, they literally destroy and bomb the apartment blocks, houses, hospitals, and schools."

'We will fight' - Ukrainian President addresses UK MPs

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has pleaded with the UK for more support in his country's fight against Russian invaders, as he addressed MPs and peers in the Houses of Parliament.

The leader channelled ex-UK prime minister Winston Churchill in his speech, telling MPs that Ukraine: "We will fight until the end, at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost.

"We will fight in the forest, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets."

Continuing the Churchill reference, Mr Zelenskyy added: "We will not give up and we will not lose."