Dr Denys Levchenko starts new life in Australia as carer at Cabramatta after Russian-Ukraine war

After years practising as a doctor at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, one father’s life was turned on its head as war erupted in his hometown overnight.

Denys Levchenko' works as a carer at the Russian Relief Association in Cabramatta.

After years practising as a doctor at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, one father’s life was turned on its head as war erupted in his hometown overnight.

Dr Denys Levchenko was a general practitioner in Kyiv, Ukraine when he received a call from his boss to stay home as the Russia-Ukraine war intensified.

Five days later, the 41-year-old said he answered a call which changed his life.

“My boss called me and said to pick up my family and leave the country because it wasn’t safe anymore,” he said.

“I had never been to a different country before … I left with my wife Olha, 10-year-old daughter Diana, mother-in-law and my nephew.”

Denys Levchenko and his wife Olha and his daughter Diana.

Alongside eight million other Ukrainians, Mr Levchenko fled his war-torn country with a heavy heart and found solace in Australia in May last year to be with his wife’s sister and aunt in Sydney.

Over the next 12 months, the Levchenko family started a new life in Belmore in Sydney’s southwest as Denys worked odd jobs in construction.

But a chance encounter with a fellow Ukrainian led him to practise medicine once again as a carer at the Russian Relief Association in Cabramatta.

“It’s closer to medicine so it doesn’t matter if the people are Russian or from another background I can help people again,” he said.

“I try to work and try not to think of the bad things and pray that it’ll work out … I don’t give up.”

Denys Levchenko's daughter Diana.

The Levchenko family arrived in Australia in May last year.

Mr Levchenko said while he was enjoying working in the medical field again, he still felt a sense of “uncertainty” on what his family’s future would hold.

“Most Ukrainian people are worried about what will be after when our visa ends because in our country everything is destroyed and they don’t understand it’s a one-way ticket,” he said.

“For me for example, what future will my daughter see if my country is destroyed? We had everything in Ukraine, two houses on the one piece of land but now our country is back to ancient ages.’’

He said his family would look to stay in Australia and hopefully restart his career as a doctor, pending if they find a sponsor.

“My wife and I go to Macquarie Community College to try and improve our English … my daughter’s pronunciation is perfect and she likes living in Australia,” he said.

“Every two weeks we try to go somewhere because its an interesting and beautiful country.”