Wales has taken on the role of a temporary residence for Ukrainians who are escaping the Russian invasion.
An international opera singer and her family are among those who have relocated here. Khrystyna Makar arrived at Llangrannog Urdd camp through the Welsh government's super-sponsor program after leaving her husband and parents in Lviv, western Ukraine.
On the anniversary of Russia's invasion, she claimed that she and her sons, Denys, 17, and Lukian, 12, had made a home on Wales' west coast.
Both of her kids miss home even though they are away at secondary school in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.
The city of Lviv is still under Russian missile attack, and Christina's husband Volodymyr is still there.
In Khrystyna's words, "When the war came, in our home, it was scary because we never felt those emotions before.". "After a few months, we began to accept the fact that war exists. I made the choice to depart and relocate my kids to a secure location. I am hoping that the war will end quickly so that we can return home. "While we currently reside in Wales, our souls are in Ukraine. Our Ukrainian souls are eternal, and they never experience grief. Keeping in touch and remaining strong is our county's main source of support. ".
Denys stated that if enlisted, he would fight for his country and hopes to attend university in Ukraine the following year. "It doesn't matter how your city looks, at least not to me," he declared. I miss my home and my family, but the real reason I want to return is because of the people. Everything about it I miss. ".
Khrystyna, a soprano who has appeared in opera houses in Vienna, Berlin, Amsterdam, among other cities, claimed that she currently sings in her apartment but hopes to relaunch her musical career. "I feel powerful because I have kids. We hope that Ukraine will soon experience peace and I would like to reunite with the rest of our family, she said. Starting over in a new country is challenging because you have to prove your identity once more. Although I've had to adjust to a new way of life and a new language, I believe it will benefit me in the long run. ".
The Urdd in Llangrannog's director, Lowri Jones, recalled: "I remember hearing that voice for the first time and wondering, wow, where did that come from?
Since moving here, she has performed both locally and nationally. We tried to support that passion back then. ".
Khrystyna will perform at the Senedd on Wednesday to honor St. David's Day and hopes to sing more while residing in Wales in addition to teaching singing, which was her job prior to leaving Ukraine.
Additionally, she gave a performance at fundraising occasions and the Tregaron National Eisteddfod, where she frequently sang a Welsh song. She said, "Learning Welsh songs is very interesting.
"It's my way of saying thanks to the Welsh for their support.
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