Ukrainians fear for their homeland as terrified women and children search for hiding places
30.01.2022 - 11:39
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Terrified women and children are looking for places to hide from bombs. Suitcases are being filled with belongings for a quick getaway as men take up arms to defend Ukraine.
That is the reality for the close families of thousands of Ukrainians living in Greater Manchester as Russian forces look poised for an imminent attack from the north.
Leaders in the Ukrainian community across the city region say the 100,000 people in the UK with roots in the Eastern European state have been buoyed by support from the West.
But they are still gravely concerned about the build-up of about 120,000 Red Army troops on Ukraine's border with Belarus and Russia.
READ MORE:Universal Credit crackdown introduced - here's what claimants need to know
Bob Sopel, 70, chairman of Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain Manchester Branch, said: "What Putin is doing is crazy.
"When we became independent we were the third-largest nuclear power in the world.
"Then negotiations took place for the removal of our nuclear deterrent with the UK, France, USA and Russia in return for our sovereignty being respected. And now we have the Russians doing this.
"We've just celebrated 30 years as an independent country and we celebrated our Christmas two weeks ago."
For many years Bob ran a travel business enabling UK-based Ukrainians to visit their homeland, helped by the fact he speaks his mother country's language fluently.
He was born and grew up in Manchester after his mother escaped farm where she worked as a slave on a farm run by the Nazis in World War II.
She left the country after being accused of collaborating with Germans, despite the fact, like many, she had been enslaved.
Bob said: "We've have had threats hanging over us over a long time.
"My son