https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pictured-ukrainian-girl-yeva-12-is-welcomed-at-dublin-airport-by-her-host-family-her-war-diary-in-hand-41438893.htmlPictured: Ukrainian girl Yeva (12) is welcomed at Dublin Airport by her host family, her ‘war diary’ in handThe Ukrainian 12-year-old has written 160 pages in her war diary Ciara O'Loughlin
March 12 2022 10:48 AM
Blue and yellow filled the arrivals hall in Dublin Airport as Yeva (12) and her grandmother were welcomed into Ireland by their host family on Friday night.
Hugs and kisses were shared between the Ukrainian refugees and their new Irish family who said they were “so relieved” they had finally arrived.
Yeva and Irina Skaletskaya fled their home in Kharkiv six days ago after their apartment was destroyed by Russian shelling and they have been on the move ever since.
The 12-year-old’s face lit up when she entered the arrival hall last night to see a group of people holding blue and yellow signs welcoming her to Ireland.
"And then when I met a journalist from Great Britain I got to go to Budapest and from Budapest I came to Ireland.”
Irina is Yeva’s main caregiver, her father lives in Russia. In an interview with Channel 4 News, Yeva’s father said he couldn’t say what his feelings were about the war because “people are prosecuted for that”.
The 12-year-old has been documenting her journey by writing every day in a gold notebook.
Since the war began she has written over 160 pages in the diary she is calling War 2022: Through the eyes of a child.
Yeva said she has a lot of friends in Ukraine, but most have them have managed to get to Germany or Poland.
When asked if she was delighted to be in Ireland, Yeva smiled and said “yes” and added that her journey has been difficult because she doesn’t have family who could take her in.
But luckily, her new life in Ireland was made possible by secondary school teachers Catherine Flanagan and Gary Abrahamian, who have opened up their home in Glasnevin, Dublin, to the 12-year-old and her grandmother.
Ms Flanagan had been following Yeva and her grandmother Irina’s story through Channel 4 News and Twitter.
When she heard that they were looking to move to England, she reached out to the reporter covering the story and said they should come to Ireland, and just a couple days later she was greeting them alongside her sister, nieces, and nephew in Dublin Airport.
“I am so relieved,” Ms Flanagan said after she hugged Yeva and introduced her to her family.
"Just like any 12-year-old travelling anywhere I am glad we navigated it and we did it okay.”
Mr Abrahamian said “it’s so wonderful” to have Yeva and Irina in Ireland after a stressful few days trying to get them here.
"It’s been a surreal week but it’s so wonderful, it feels so good, we’ve had so much support, so much offerings of kindness and generosity,” he said.
"I work in a school and the girls have made the posters as they are so excited and they are all sending me messages wanting to meet her.
"They are in Manor House in Raheny and they are asking when is she starting!"
The Dubliner said he was teaching a class on Tuesday and was showing them a video of Yeva on Channel 4, and not long after he received a message from his wife saying she might be coming to live with them.
“So I said to the girls (students) ‘I think she’s coming to live in my house.’
"But, this is a big moment because the story about her caught us immediately because I was talking to a group about Anne Frank, nothing to do with this and we are going to Amsterdam in April and we booked Anne Frank so we were just thinking wow, this girl is like Anne Frank.
"But this shouldn’t be happening, it’s 2022.”
