Former OIC worker living in Ukraine has fled his city home following the “inhumane” Russian invasion

A former Council employee now living in Ukraine has spoken of the deafening sound of explosions from Russian missile strikes and the rumble of Ukrainian tanks passing by positioning themselves to defend the cities.

 

Ian Ward and his wife Svetlana have been forced to flee their city home of Brovary on the outskirts of Kyiv and are now living with family in a village south of the capital.

 

They are far from alone – as more than 600,000 people across the country are thought to have fled their homes following the Russian invasion which began on 24 February.

 

Ian wants friends and colleagues in Orkney to know that they are safe for the moment – but they cannot escape over the border because of where they are situated.

 

He said: “We were woken at about 06.00 on Thursday morning to explosions, probably at the main international airport about 20 kilometers away. While having coffee in our balcony facing Kyiv, there was a missile strike at the local military training camp. It was unbelievable, a huge explosion followed by deafening bangs a couple of seconds later...it was shocking to witness.

 

“We remained in our apartment on Thursday night, but it was sleepless with the rumble of tanks and artillery columns moving north to Chernigiv to defend the city. We were urged to seek air raid shelter at about 03.30. On Friday we decided to leave the apartment and we drove to where we are now, we were stopped by armed police for document checks and passed troop carriers and columns of artillery.

 

“We are in effect housebound. Here it is a private village with security gates, which is common in Ukraine. We are on the wrong bank of the Dnipro to drive to the border. There are big explosions in the distance from time to time. This morning while I was in the garden a missile flew overheard.”

 

The family learned the tragic news this morning of the loss of a friend.

 

“We learned this morning that a friend has died but we don't know the circumstances yet. He was a fine man, what I have witnessed is appalling, personally I don't know what the future holds. My greatest fears are for the people of Ukraine, the fine cities and beautiful countryside. I fear that the current situation may escalate to other countries and affect the wider world.”

 

Ian says the Ukrainian people are resilient, empowered, united, fearful and brave.

 

“Relatives have been supplying local roadblocks with food and hot drinks. We are well supplied with food, we are warm and relatively comfortable (we had prepared grab bags, groceries which we had in the car boot). We have internet, electricity and amenities at the moment. No shower though - I can live with this though, we are a lot luckier than others remaining in the cities.”

 

Ian, who worked in various posts in Orkney including as a leisure assistant at Kirkwall Grammar School Sports Centre, night shift at Tesco and a senior meat hygiene inspector for the Food Standards Agency at Orkney Meat, took early retirement and settled in Brovary, Ukraine in 2019. It has a population of 120,000 and is situated close to rural areas.

 

In peace times, Ian spends his time walking, taking photos, fishing and cycling and his wife works in a small grocery store.

 

He has been keeping a close eye on events in Orkney and contacted the Council to plea for a stoppage of the visit of the Russian tanker, NS Champion, calling and he was delighted to see that happen.

 

“Please relay my thanks to Orkney friends who have supported me on Facebook, please relay that I am safe and well, to former colleagues, and customers who remember me at KGS Sports Centre and neighbours at Flett’s corner, Finstown.

 

“I know Ukraine would seem quite distant and vague to a lot of people in the UK until recent events. It is a progressive country, with a great history. There have been great improvements in infrastructure over recent years, some of the shopping malls and supermarkets rival or surpass those in the UK. This is a modern country.”

 

As to what lies ahead for Ian, his wife and millions of others caught up in this war, no-one knows but he has one wish: “I hope for a better future for the world. What Putin has done is totally shocking in 2022, it is irresponsible and inhumane.”

 

Satellite images being shown on news reports across the world on Tuesday 1 March detail a 40-mile (64km) long Russian military convoy snaking its way toward Kyiv.

The convoy includes armoured vehicles, tanks, artillery and logistical vehicles, and is said to be less than 18 miles (30km) from Kyiv.

According to reports the death toll continues to rise with more than 100 civilians having been killed in Ukraine since Thursday 24 February including 13 children. This figure will undoubtedly continue to rise with each passing moment.