Lorraine Kelly was left emotional on Wednesday as she interviewed a Ukrainian mother who went viral after writing her contact details on her two-year-old daughter's back while fleeing the war-torn country.
The 62-year-old spoke with Sasha Makoviy on her ITV morning programme about her desperate decision to write daughter Vira's name, age and phone numbers on her in case the family were separated or killed while fleeing Kyiv.
The family are now in France and after arriving, Sasha posted a photo of the writing on Vira's back to Instagram, where the image went viral.
Packing their belongings under the sound of falling bombs and with little information available, she said she wasn't sure if the family would escape.
Lorraine said: “Sasha, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have to write that on a two-year-old’s back. The amount of fear you must have had must have been awful.”
She replied: “It was really painful. Scary. Terrifying. My biggest fear was to be separated. To be kidnapped by the Russian soldiers.”
Lorraine noted that her Instagram post had “an enormous impact” and Sasha said she was inundated with messages and words of support.
Lorraine replied: “So many messages of love and support from all over the world. I imagine you want to get home. You want this to be over. You must be so worried about people back in Ukraine.”
Sasha replied: “It’s still not safe. Everyday I start my morning by checking every one of my relatives are alive. It’s still dangerous. We’re really nervous about it.”
She said that her daughter Vira is well, adding: “She remembers a lot of our previous life and our beautiful flat, Christmas trees. She remembers it clearly.”
Lorraine replied: “I’m glad she’s alright and very worried about your family and friends back in Ukraine.
“I’m so glad nothing happened to her. It was an absolutely heartbreaking image. I sincerely hope very soon it will be safe to go back home.”
After the interview, the ITV presenter suddenly became emotional as she said to viewers: “Imagine having to do that. To write your name on your child's back - to think that they might be separated from you or you might be killed and your child is left on her own. Dreadful.”
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV
