Surf Coast a long way from war for Ukrainian Helen Chernonok but the pain is unrelenting

A woman who fled war-torn Ukraine for Jan Juc has told of her terrifying experiences in the conflict, as a growing number of people like her choose to settle in the region.

Helen Chernonok has battled feelings of guilt and being a traitor since arriving in Jan Juc from war-torn Ukraine.

The 39-year-old was working as a communications manager for an energy company when Russia invaded her country on February 24.

She had travelled from her home in Vinnytsia to work in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv because her employer had anticipated war would break out.

On the first day of the invasion she woke early in the morning to sounds similar to thunder, and initiallywondered whether it was rainfall.

“I thought – oh f---, it’s war,” Ms Chernonok said.

“It was a really bad feeling.”

Ms Chernonok, who was staying with her aunt, dressed in her pyjamas worked from the corridor to ensure colleagues were safe.

The next day they briefly sought shelter in a subway.

Ms Chernonok described it as scary and that many people were crying.

Helen Chernonok takes cover in the subway in Ukraine.

Helen Chernonok (right) with her best friend Kat in Ukraine in January.

She and her aunt decided to return to the apartment where they could access food, water and warmth.

Ms Chernonok stayed in the apartment for about a week without going outside, and listened to the city being bombarded nightly.

“We were really lucky because they didn’t hit our building,” she said.

About 10 days after the invasion began, Ms Chernonok decided to return to Vinnytsia, a city in west-central Ukraine, as talk of attacks on Kyiv intensified.

Her parents stayed in Kyiv, where they live, and she described the goodbye as very difficult.

“I knew it could be the last time,” she said.

She spent about a month in Vinnytsia, where air-raid alerts sounded daily.

“Russians bombed there a few times … you know if they bomb my house I will die,” Ms Chernonok said.

“You’re too tired to be afraid.”

Her best friend, who lives in Jan Juc and is engaged to an Australian, moved to Australia more than two years ago and suggested Ms Chernonok come to stay.

In early April, Ms Chernonok travelled to Poland on a 21-hour bus ride and then flew to Australia alone.

Helen Chernonok arrived from Ukraine about two months ago and is now living in Jan Juc. Picture: Alison Wynd

She was picked up from the airport and taken to Jan Juc, where she is staying with her friend.

Her partner, who she began dating about six months before war broke out, stayed in Ukraine and has joined the army.

“It is very hard,” Ms Chernonok said.

The couple try to talk whenever possible, but her partner is unable to discuss details of the war because of security reasons.

“I’m scared about my family, my friends who are now in Ukraine,” she said.

“There is no safe place in whole of Ukraine.

“(The Russians) are bombing every day.”

Ms Chernonok, who has been granted a humanitarian visa, described the choice to come to Australia as “a very hard decision”.

“I though I would be safe in Australia but my family could die in Ukraine,” she said.

“I thought that I’m a traitor … (but) I knew it was a good opportunity if I could find a job and could send money to Ukraine.

“I knew I would be more useful here than there.

“The first one-and-a-half months I had really bad feelings that I was a traitor, I didn’t want to be here … I want to go back home.”

She battled feelings of guilt.

“Now I’m trying to do my best with my feelings and trying to seize this opportunity for me,” she said.

Helen Chernonok says she initially felt guilty about fleeing her homeland. Picture: Alison Wynd

Ms Chernonok, who said she is grateful for Australia’s Ukrainian community, has found a part-time job and hopes to find more work to help save money to send to Ukraine.

“All of my family is safe for now but every day you are scared,” she said.

She urged people to continue to support Ukraine.

Association of Ukrainians in Victoria Geelong branch spokeswoman Luba Pryslak said the group was supporting about 15 Ukrainians who had arrived in the region since the war broke out.

“The conflict is still going, civilians, military people are still dying every day,” Ms Pryslak said.

“It’s still a critical situation.

“It’s up to us to keep up the awareness of it.”

The Geelong community can help by purchasing tickets to an event being conducted by the Polish-Ukrainian Community Fundraising Committee.

Ms Pryslak said funds would go either to Ukrainians who had arrived in the area or to Ukraine to help causes like hospitals and orphanages.

The fundraising dinner will be held on Saturday, July 30, at White Eagle House in Breakwater and Denis Walter will serve as MC.

Ticket sales close July 20.

To purchase visit trybooking.com/BZYOH

Originally published as Surf Coast a long way from war for Ukrainian Helen Chernonok but the pain is unrelenting