There were missile attacks on Dnipro as Steven Carr made his first return visit to the city after rescuing 50 orphans from the city.
In March 2022 Steven – now a Perth and Kinross councillor – heroically drove a bus full of Ukrainian orphans and their carers across Europe to safety in Scotland.
Last week he made an emotional trip back to offer support to the orphanage families connected to his charity Dnipro Kids who are still in the city.
Steven founded Dnipro Kids after his beloved football team Hibs played Dnipro in the UEFA Cup in 2005. The charity has been supporting orphans in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine ever since.
And he was given a hero’s welcome as he stepped off the train after a lengthy 18-hour journey across to the Eastern Ukraine city. Whilst there he visited one of the orphanages in Dnipro.
The orphanage has six children at the moment but another four are due to arrive next month. Orphan mother Svetlana has space for up to 13 children.
He also met with the head of the children’s orphanage homes in the local government to discuss mutual support between Dnipro Kids and orphanage families in Dnipro and in Scotland.
And the city came under attack during his visit.
Messaging the Perthshire Advertiser on Thursday, January 26 he said: “Last night there were Russian missile attacks on the city.
“I could hear air defences as they came over but they hit utility buildings at the other side of the city so I didn’t hear any explosions. They shook the windows of a friend that lived closer.
“He had offered for me to stay in his apartment before I arrived as well, but I had already organised to stay with good friends who I am godfather to their son.”
The following day he received four air raid warnings to his phone in one day.
He said: “It’s been a daily occurrence since I arrived. Only two of them have actually resulted in missile strikes on the city, so little wonder most are ignored and people carry on as usual.”
Steven spent three days in Dnipro before facing another three days travelling home to Perth with the same 18-hour train journey in reverse on his return.
