Ukrainians in Britain: Where Next?

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BBC Radio 4 - Ukrainians in Britain: Where Next?

Ukrainian teacher Olga asks where next for refugees a year on from the outbreak of war.

English teacher Olga Rybak has found herself trying to establish a temporary life in rural Somerset as she awaits an end to the war back home in Ukraine.

More than 110,000 Ukrainians like Olga and her two daughters have come to the UK since March 2022 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, better known as Homes for Ukraine. In many cases, they have been welcomed into the homes of previous strangers as Britons with spare rooms have opened up their doors to provide sanctuary in a national outpouring of solidarity.

When Olga arrived in May 2022, she hoped her stay may only be for a few months and that she could soon return to her husband, parents and life in Ukraine. But as the war with Russia has dragged on, Olga faces the prospect of a prolonged separation from her homeland and is beginning the challenging search for her family’s own accommodation.

With hosts initially asked to provide accommodation for a minimum of six months, and many guests themselves determined to establish some kind of independence and agency, Olga speaks to fellow Ukrainians as they grapple with the question, where next?

Producer: Jack Butcher
Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

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