**Ukrainian Family Finds New Home in Glasgow**
Tetiana Prudnykova remembers running between the hospital and her home in Kyiv with her son Mikhailo when the air raid sirens began. It’s been three years since they fled their homes in Ukraine, but they have found a new community in Glasgow.
Mikhailo, 12, is one of many weekend pupils at St Mary’s Ukrainian School. The school provides an education for children displaced by the conflict, teaching them in their own language. This allows youngsters to maintain a cultural connection with their homeland.
Tetiana says it has made life in a new country easier. “When the war started, Misha was in the first year of school and it’s very hard to learn online,” she said. “That’s why we are very glad we have a Ukrainian school here.”
**Maintaining Cultural Heritage**
After school, pupils can take part in a weekly children’s choir, singing in Ukrainian despite most being fluent in English. Nataliya Lyalyuk, manager of St Mary’s, says it’s essential to continue their links with home.
“We help them to speak Ukrainian, we have classes on Ukrainian history, language, literature, geography and music,” she said. “The aim is to speak, dream and learn Ukrainian, and celebrate its heritage.”
**A New Home in Glasgow**
Tetiana, 49, her husband Dymytro, and their son Mikhailo initially fled to Western Ukraine before moving to Poland and eventually arriving in Scotland via the Scottish government’s super sponsor visa scheme. More than 12 million people have fled Ukraine, with about 28,000 displaced Ukrainians now living in Scotland.
Their experience is not unique, as many families face uncertainty over their future. Ukrainian nationals and their families can apply for an extension of their visas to stay in the UK for a further 18 months, but it does not lead to permanent settlement.
**Worry Over War**
Talk of a deal between the US and Russia to end the war has caused worry among those watching on nervously from afar. Tetiana says if that happens, it will leave more questions than answers.
“Trump says he can stop the war,” she said. “Ok, but I don‘t believe Putin. If I go back and he starts the war again, what should I do?”