A Ukrainian Mother’s Pride in Her Son’s Decision to Join the War Effort
Olesia Khrapova, a mother from Ukraine who fled to England with her children at the start of the war with Russia, says she is proud of her 19-year-old son Maksym for joining their country’s war effort. Ms. Khrapova and her six-year-old daughter arrived in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 2022 after attacks on their home town Odesa.
Maksym, who was just 16 at the time, wanted to return to Ukraine to “defend his country”. He has now joined a four-year military academy course. Ms. Khrapova admits she would be worried if her son went to fight, but is proud of his decision. She hopes that when he finishes his course, the war will have stopped.
Russia Launched Full-Scale Invasion
It’s been three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered up to 200,000 soldiers into the country, aiming to overthrow the pro-Western government and return Ukraine to Russia’s sphere of influence. Ms. Khrapova and her family were forced to flee their home after it came under attack.
Their Experience
Ms. Khrapova recalled the traumatic experience of escaping with her children and husband. They lived in a 14th-floor flat when bombs started falling, causing a big explosion outside their window. The family packed their bags and boarded a train to Poland two weeks later. However, Ms. Khrapova feared that Maksym would not be allowed to leave because he looked like a man.
She had to fight for a place on the train, saying “I started to scream. ‘It’s my second child, it’s my second child'”. The family spent 40 hours on the train with no food or water and many people lying on the floor.
Ms. Khrapova and her children found a host family in Grantham after a three-month stay in Poland. However, Maksym wanted to return to Ukraine, and his mother eventually accepted this decision. She said “It’s his decision. I am so proud of him. He is so strong.”
The Son’s Decision
Maksym said he knew he wanted to join the war effort as soon as he turned 18. He stated that when the war started, all he thought about was defending Ukraine. His goal now is to make a bigger impact on Ukrainian defense.
The UK Government’s Response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently mentioned military planning for a potential Ukraine ceasefire moving into an “operational phase”. Ms. Khrapova will be hoping that the war ends before her son graduates and joins the front line, saying “I can’t believe he’s going to fight. I can’t think about it.”
Read More @ www.bbc.com