A Ukrainian woman shared her fears after losing contact with her family after Russia invaded her home country.

Olga Hawkins has lived in Droitwich for the past 20 years but originally lived in the Donets'Ka Oblast region in Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control.

Olga has been watching the events unfolding in her home country on television

Olga said: "It has been awful, it feels like whatever I do I am carrying this awful feeling in my chest.

Worcester News: Olga Hawkins.Olga Hawkins.

"I still cannot believe it is even happening, it is so surreal and hard to explain.

"I will never again say that Russians and Ukrainians are brothers, that is over now. 

"Most Ukrainians have Russian relatives and Russians have Ukrainian relatives. It would be like if England had a war with Scotland, same language but different accents and lots of connections.

"In 2021, we are killing humans for no reason at all, the amount of people killed on both sides, lives destroyed, is all for no reason at all. Just one man's ambitions.

"It is just unthinkable, and that is what hurts the most."

Olga's mother and sister live in Snizhne, which has been under Russian occupation for eight years.

Olga said she finds it very hard to talk to her mother and sister due to them being "brainwashed by Russian propaganda".

Worcester News: Inna (in the pink shirt) and Tetiana (in the blue shirt), Olga Hawkins' sister and niece from Snizhne Ukraine.Inna (in the pink shirt) and Tetiana (in the blue shirt), Olga Hawkins' sister and niece from Snizhne Ukraine.

She said: "It is like they are being hypnotised, it is happening in front of their eyes.

"They saw tanks crossing the border in 2014 so they should know better than anyone else.

"Now they are telling me that you cannot believe anything you see in the media, I don't know if they mean it or they are too scared to talk to me which is so upsetting."

Her father, of Russian descent, lives in Melitopol and has strongly opposed the Russian invasion since it began.

Olga has since lost contact with him since the city was invaded.

She said: "I cannot talk to them anymore and it is incredibly scary.

"There are rumours about people being deported to economically deprived areas of Russia which I have no idea if it's true or not."

Olga is also trying to get a friend from university over to England along with her three children as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Worcester News: Left to Right: Yevhen Samohvalov, Vera Samohvalov, Ksenia Samohvalov, Fedor Samohvalov and Nazar Samohvalov. Currently in Stryshuv, Poland.Left to Right: Yevhen Samohvalov, Vera Samohvalov, Ksenia Samohvalov, Fedor Samohvalov and Nazar Samohvalov. Currently in Stryshuv, Poland.

She said: "The only thing that helps me keep sane is helping someone else.

"I have filed the paperwork and it is so frustrating that it takes a long time. I understand the checks need to be made but this family are traumatised.

"This woman is 45, with three children and she has to start all over again. I do not know how they do it, they do not feel at all safe.

"I think Britain should be doing better to be helping refugees. It feels like we are just inviting everyone and letting nobody in."

Read More: Droitwich Lido Park to host vigil for Ukraine on Saturday

Olga will be talking at the Droitwich Vigil for Ukraine that is happening this weekend at the Lido Park Bandstand.