Ukrainian refugees admit their ‘hearts are bleeding’ as they stand in solidarity to mark independence - exactly six months on since invasion by Russia

The lives of families have been thrown upside down since February 24, forcing many to abandon their native home amid fears they could be killed.

But as grateful Ukrainians now living in the UK come together to honour 31 years of independence from the Soviet Union, fears are rife Vladimir Putin will leave his own horror mark on the day by doing something ‘very bad’.

Portsmouth will stand side by side with its Ukraine counterparts, with the city council holding a flag-raising ceremony in Guildhall Square, lit up by sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower.

Landmark buildings including the Spinnaker Tower, Guildhall and central library will also be lit up in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukrainian flag, to show the city’s solidarity with the country.

Refugees have taken to their adopted country but have been forced to endure many challenges along the way, adding to the difficulties that have been thrust upon them.

Lilya Kulynych and her three children - aged 16, 14 and 18 months - were rushing into a bomb shelter in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk as an air raid siren warned of approaching Russian jets.

The 38-year-old mum had no idea what fate awaited her family – but now says she lives in ‘the best place in the UK’ thanks to a Gosport couple who hosted the young family.

She said: ‘Everyone has been very friendly and has wanted to help since we came to the UK. But it was hard to leave home where our whole life was and leave behind everything.

‘Our lives have changed rapidly and it’s been tough but we just hope everything will be okay. It was hard to believe our country could be attacked like we were in the 21st century but now we are used to it. Although any time we hear of anything our hearts bleed.’

Lilya, who was given the chance to continue her hairdressing career at the Amy Rogers salon in Gosport, said of the UK: ‘It is a great country with great people and we are very grateful for all the support we have received, especially from our host family and Amy.

‘We still hope to go back to Ukraine one day when circumstances allow.’

Maxim and Olga Hyryk, both 36, are part of a family of nine who fled war-torn Kyiv and travelled across Europe before arriving in the UK in May.

The Ukrainians are staying in a two-bedroom Park Gate bungalow on a farm next door to the hosts, senior Royal Navy officer Dudley Malster, 40, and his wife Kelly, 46.

This is despite receiving a bombshell solicitor’s letter from their hosts informing them they had to leave by July 15 – with no explanation. Their case will now be heard at county court.

Maxim said: ‘I can’t believe six months have gone so quickly. Everything has happened so quickly.

‘We were able to avoid the bombs and lived in two months at a refugee shelter in Poland where two of my children became ill with pneumonia.

‘When we got to the UK, within two weeks our hosts began to evict us with no explanation - making our difficult journey harder. We now have a court hearing to decide what happens.

‘Our way has not been easy. I believe God sends us trials to test us. There have been so many things around us that have happened. I strongly believe everything will be fine in the end.

‘We are very grateful to all the people in the UK and Poland who have helped us.’

Speaking of the independence day, Maxim said: ‘We are afraid because everyone expects Russia to do something bad. They hate us because we want to live a life free from Russia and be truly independent, which is why I think they will do something on this significant day.’

Despite a fundraiser fetching over £21,000, the family have been routinely turned down for accommodation from landlords amid suspected worries over the size of the family.

Maxim has now launched an IT business to earn money for the family.

Ukrainian Hanna Greentree, 43, who was living in Fareham, managed to bring her mum Iryna Pavlova over to live with her. They have since been forced to move to Titchfield after saying Imperial Homes ‘cancelled our agreement’.

‘My daughter, my husband and I are very happy that my mum is living with us now. Even though we never planned to live together under the same roof,’ Hanna said. ‘My mum still lives in our living room on the couch. She is depressed. She would not admit it, but I could tell because she doesn’t want to do her hair or manicure, she doesn’t want to meet other Ukrainians.

‘It doesn’t sound like my mum. She used to be very active. She keeps watching news on YouTube that makes her sad, then she calls her friends and they discuss again and again what an unfair situation happened to them.

‘The only thing I can do is support her, push her to go out, to do different things together.’

Hanna said her daughter has also struggled since the invasion. ‘She has been prescribed regular Zoom therapist appointments,’ she said. ‘It is very difficult for her to understand why she couldn’t visit Ukraine this year and doesn’t have a home there. She spent her own money to buy a Ukrainian flag. Now we could place it somewhere outside.’