Like millions of Ukrainians, Ilona Lemekha has had to leave her home, her family and her country in order to escape the war.

She got out via Hungary after managing to get a visa to come to the UK, arriving, exhausted, at Stansted Airport on Wednesday night.

Ms Lemekha, 30, is one of the first refugees to arrive in England under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allows British people to sponsor a Ukrainian by bringing them to live in their own house.

At the arrivals gate, Mrs Lemekha met her new host for the first time.

‘Ilona?’ Sarah Hedley asked as she saw the stranger she would be bringing home with her.

Mrs Hedley, 37, and Mrs Lemekha had only spoken via text, having found each other on a Facebook group matching Ukrainians with British hosts.

Ukraine-Russia news live: Moscow has lost 15,800 personnel since start of war, Kyiv says

Rishi Sunak challenged over wife’s links to company Infosys that has presence in Russia

Ukraine war: Russian landing ship ‘destroyed’ as Red Cross chief warns of ‘complex frontline’ and people trapped

Prime Minister says Ukraine should host Euro 2028, not Russia – despite supporting UK and Ireland bid

“Seeing the desperation of all these people and these families. It’s so hard for us to comprehend how they would feel because we’ve never experienced anything like that, but you can understand when somebody needs help,” Mrs Hedley said.

Her husband and teenage children were very supportive of the decision to take in Mrs Lemekha.

They were pleased to discover that she speaks English, so they can start to get to know each other.

Ms Lemekha will now call Bedfordshire home, and while she’s glad to be safe, she desperately misses her family. Her husband and parents are still in Ukraine. She breaks down in tears as she recalls their goodbye.

“It was really difficult because you don’t understand where you’re going, how long you will be absent from your family and how long you won’t see them.”

“It doesn’t matter how much time passes, it will still be difficult,” says Mrs Lemekha.

Mrs Lemekha is from Dnipro, in central Ukraine. She knew she had to leave when her family narrowly avoided a missile attack.

“I just ran to the window and we felt the explosion. I saw people’s reaction, there is a factory nearby and people just started running.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Getting out of the city wasn’t easy. She drove in heavy traffic for four days to reach the border with Hungary.

She told Sky News she wanted to come to the UK because she can speak the language and because she’d heard about the sponsorship scheme and felt welcome.

Mrs Hedley and her family will receive £350 a month for hosting Mrs Lemekha, but they said they would do it for free – and even paid for her flight to London.

The government says hosts must provide accommodation for a minimum of six months.

“There’s no time limit for Ilona to stay here,” Mrs Hedley said.

“She can stay as long as she needs to and if she can’t go back to Ukraine I hope to get her husband, her parents, her pets and her sister and niece over here if possible.”

The sponsorship scheme allows Mrs Lemekha to work in the UK. She was a manager at a foreign language school in Ukraine but is looking for whatever work she can find.

“If you are given temporary refuge it doesn’t mean you should sit around doing nothing while everybody looks after you in different ways. No, you should also help the country that gave you refuge in this difficult time,” she said.

Mrs Lemekha doesn’t know when she’ll get to go home, and her message to President Putin is clear.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

“Go away from our country, this is our country, this is our land. Nobody invited you here. Mind your own business, you have lots of problems of your own.”

The Homes for Ukraine scheme has been criticised for not working quickly enough to grant visas.

Almost a week after its launch the government hasn’t confirmed how many applications have been successful, but more than 150,000 people in Britain registered their interest in becoming a host.

However, applying is just the first step in a lengthy process, with families like the Hedleys now asked to provide the comfort and safety that Ukrainians like Mrs Lemekha so badly need.

Read more on the Ukraine war: UK imposes sanctions on 65 more Russian oligarchs and businesses ‘fuelling Putin’s war machine’

Related posts:

Charles and Camilla visit tributes to Prince Philip in first joint appearance since duke’s death ‘We’ve been at capacity for 18 months’: Constant pressure on eating disorder services after lockdown ‘People are going to die’: Ex-marine tells PM to ‘get a grip’ as wife caught in Kabul ‘stampede’ Princess Beatrice says it’d be a ‘gift’ if her unborn baby has dyslexia – as she hints at due date Violence against women should be as much a priority as terrorism, report finds after Sarah Everard murder Boy, 16, is third person to be charged with murder after aspiring lawyer stabbed to death Irish president defends decision not to attend church service marking Northern Ireland’s centenary ‘There’s a big wave coming’: Omicron warning issued as COVID rules tightened in Wales Police officer sacked after murder photos investigation found he used racial slur on WhatsApp Indoor mixing could be banned under two-week ‘circuit breaker’ to curb Omicron spread – reports ‘The light of our life’: Family’s tribute to teenage soldier found dead on military base Concern grows for missing 13-year-old boy not seen since Friday afternoon