Family safe after hiding in basement
ALINA Tomashuk, 35, gave birth to son Artem in December, just two months before Russia invaded.
She fled Vinnytsia city with the baby, her son Oleksander, 11, and mum Nataliia
Paliienko, 58
– leaving her husband, dad and granddad behind. Alina said: “We were hiding in a
basement when there were rockets. We had no choice but to leave.” They travelled via Moldova and are staying with Cathy and Colin Blain, where they spend evenings playing dominoes and cards.
Cathy, 63, said of her bond with Nataliia: “I have told her things I haven’t even told good friends.”