In Kyiv, Oksana finds a bittersweet escape from the war.
In Poland, Ilyas’ wife, Natalia speaks for the first time about her experiences as a refugee trying to make a functional life for her and her children, alone.
Meanwhile Ilyas, writes something of a love letter to his wife Natalia and the two sons he still cannot see.

BACKGROUND-
Oksana, 34, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started.
Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.

Ilyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. Right now his wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.
As of June 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on specialist projects.

Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone.

Week 12 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note and first published on the Ukraine War Diaries podcast feed. To follow this series when it broadcasts, on weekdays, subscribe to Ukraine War Diaries wherever you get your podcasts.

From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast.

CREDITS-
Series Producer - Rob Mulhern
Production Support/Editing - Paul Stanworth