THE daughter of an ex-soldier who has returned to Ukraine to help with the humanitarian crisis says she fears for his safety.
Jacqueline Antoniouk’s father Oleg flew to Krakow in Poland on Monday to help take refugees from Ukraine across the border to safety amid the Russian invasion.
The 53-year-old former army lieutenant, who was born in Rivne in western Ukraine, said he could not just “sit and do nothing” while his family and friends were attacked.
Jacqueline, who lives in Western Road, Hove, said she is “so proud” of her dad, but she is concerned he may stay and fight in Ukraine.
The 24-year-old told the Argus: “It’s still a bit of a shock. I don’t think I’ve processed the whole situation. He’s saying that now he’s there, if he is needed, he will stay and fight.
“That’s something that I am now processing. It is really, really scary, especially for my mum.
“But we’re all so very proud of my dad.”
Jacqueline and her family have been raising money in the UK to help her father buy supplies including military equipment, medication and food to take to the Ukrainian border.
So far, they have raised more than £7,000.
Jacqueline, who studied at Brighton music college BIMM said: “We have a whole truck full of military equipment, food and medication – things that are really needed right now.
“My dad is taking supplies to the border to people who are waiting there, as well as trying to take refugees out.
“We have lots of friends in Poland, and some of them live not too far from the border. They said they wanted to help, so my dad went to join them.
“He spent Monday and Tuesday buying products and filling a truck full, before arriving at the border today.”
Oleg, his wife Natalie and Jacqueline’s sister Anna left Ukraine in 1997 during the fall of the Soviet Union and sought asylum in the UK.
Jacqueline said the majority of her family are still in Ukraine and live just 200km from Rivne airport, which was hit by a Russian air strike.
“We are having to process the fact that all of our family are living in Ukraine,” she said.
“I feel like I am Ukrainian. When people ask me where I’m from, I always say Ukraine.
“We go there every single year and our entire family live there. Thinking about how we are going to get them out is very hard. Most of the places are now war zones.”
Jacqueline is asking for people to donate to her family, with all the money going directly towards supplies bought by Oleg in Ukraine.
She said: “Not one extra penny is spent on anything other than getting what we need to Ukraine.
“We are not a large organisation asking for funds, we are one family who is trying to do what we can to help those who need it.”
To donate, contact Jacqueline on +447710882809 or contact @ollies.human.aid.ua on Instagram.
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