An Edinburgh student has told how he saved his Ukrainian friend from a city targeted by Russian missiles. Nick, a journalism student from Kyiv, arrived in Edinburgh back in March after fleeing his war-torn homeland.
The 22-year-old has now helped a friend from his hometown after he became trapped alone in Kyiv as it got bombed by ruthless Russian forces. As the war escalated, the student was frantic to help others.
On Sunday June 26 Nicks' friend Vlad safely flew into Edinburgh airport from Poland. The 22-year old is now staying in a flat with Nick while they sort the visa documents.
READ MORE: Scots housing company offers 300 homes to support Ukrainian refugees in Scotland
Earlier in the year when Nick himself fled from Ukraine, he told Edinburgh Live how dangerous his country had become since Russia invaded. He said many safe spaces for those in the LGBT+ community had disappeared since the war started.
Although he has spent the last few months embracing his new life in the Scottish capital and settling in well, the 22-year-old has found the experience bittersweet. He tells of being torn up inside watching his beautiful country ripped apart with the Ukrainian people in grave danger.
So when a friend from back home became trapped alone in Kyiv - and after being stuck in the unimaginable situation himself - Nick knew he had to do something to help.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Nick explained: "I met Vlad when I lived in Donetsk. It was a few years ago.
"We already lived in a military city for a long time and got used to shelling. He is a talented musician and singer, he worked in the Donetsk Philharmonic and performed on the national Ukrainian television and the finale of the show All Together Now. "
Nick explained how All Together Now is a reality song contest similar to the X Factor in the UK and before the war Vlad loved to sing only for his dreams of stardom to be put on hold for now.
He fled Donetsk to Kyiv only for the war to escalate and the capital to become just as unsafe, leaving Vlad to seek shelter alone in Kyiv Zoo where he spent months living alone.
Nick said: "But on February 15, he left Donetsk for Kyiv to shoot the film, and a large-scale Russian invasion began. Early in the morning, Russian missiles bombarded the city centre where it was located.
"He was scared because the war he had fled in peaceful Kyiv had happened again. He lived for several months in the Kyiv Zoo where he took refuge from Russian shelling.
"He had no one in Kyiv, the war caught him alone. He had to start the evacuation himself, as he had health problems and needed treatment."
This was heart-breaking for the young Ukrainian to watch so he reached out to his friend trapped in Ukraine and offered to help him flee the country.
"Then I got in touch with him and offered to help with the visa to Scotland under the program Home to Ukraine. In May, he went to his friends in Lviv, where he stayed for several weeks, waiting for medical documents to go across the border," he said.
Just like his own terrifying journey out of Ukraine to safety, Nick told of the risks his friend faced while travelling through Ukraine to get to Poland.
He explained: "It was a very hard road because he was facing emotional violence from the security forces. He received death threats because he was born in Donetsk.
"He was being driven in a car with a bag over his head, and he was very scared for his life. But after several hours of interrogation, he was released because he could not find evidence of his false accusations. He then went to the Polish border and flew to Edinburgh the next day."
After months of communication and watching the struggle from afar, Nick was delighted to welcome his friend into the capital this week. The local authorities have moved the pair in together which should offer some much needed support after the traumatic events both have experienced.
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
Finally Nick said: "I met him at the airport, and he was very tired but happy because he was already safe and no one was threatening him.
"The authorities have moved us in together, and now I’m helping him relax, we’re walking around the city, and this week we’re going to do the paperwork and his subsequent integration into society.
"Scotland is one of his favourite countries, and he enjoys the local culture, art, and good people. He plans to enrol in the college’s musical direction and seek out new friends and musicians.
"I hope his life gets a lot better after the horror he’s been through. I’ve already evacuated a few friends and I’m glad they’re safe now."
READ NEXT:
Brooklyn Beckham's wife Nicola Peltz 'hits out' at in-laws, David and Victoria
Edinburgh man 'absolutely fuming' after hotel mix up leaves him sharing bed with friend
JK Rowling 'first saw copy of Harry Potter' inside iconic Edinburgh bookshop
Dean Banks new Edinburgh restaurant Dulse opens this week with sharing plates and seafood
Mum told off for 'extremely inappropriate' puppy name by son's preschool teacher
