Ukrainian refugees made guests of honour

TWO Ukrainian refugees were the guests of honour at the Ffos Las racecourse bank holiday meeting.

Svetlana Osiptsova and daughter Sofia’s VIP treatment marked another memorable day in their incredible and emotional journey to Wales.

The 38-year-old speech therapist and her 16-year-old daughter are among more than 1,100 Ukranians who have fled the war and settled in Wales since March.

Leaving behind her husband, Alexander – an ambulanceman – in their home city of Mykolaiv, Svetlana and Sofia arrived in Wales in April.

Supporting a fundraising event for Ukraine in Swansea, they spent some of the very little money they had on buying raffle tickets. Svetlana’s ticket was pulled out of the hat, winning her one of the top prizes – a pair of tickets for the Kaiser Chiefs Race Night at Ffos Las.

When Ffos Las general manager Kevin Hire heard Svetlana had won the prize, he decided to invite her and Sofia as guests of honour for the evening.

The gesture was in support of Svetlana and other Ukrainian refugees, who have been uprooted and have made their way to Wales against the backdrop of terrible deprivations brought on by Russia’s invasion.

It took Svetlana and Sofia nine hours to make the first leg of their journey – from Mykolaiv to Odessa – by train, which normally takes 90 minutes.

Carrying their belongings in a small suitcase, and trying to calm their anxious pet dog, they began a two-week journey that eventually ended in Wales.

In Odessa, they said an emotional goodbye to Alexander before heading hundreds of miles north-west to Lviv, from where they made onward journeys to Poland, then to Italy, before reaching Paris.

In Paris, they were helped to apply for refugee visas to the UK and are now living with a family in Mumbles.

“We are very pleased to be safe. We are now learning English, which is challenging, but we have received a very warm reception in Wales,” said Svetlana.