A mum who fled war-torn Ukraine has claimed she has not been able to "wash for a week" in a 'dirty' hostel where she has been placed with her daughter.
Furious Tatyana Dudnyk said she she would rather live in bomb shelter than the hostel in Birmingham.
Tatyana Dudnyk, 42, and her daughter moved into a tiny room in Northfield, in the outer south Birmingham, a week ago.
But since moving, the mother claims that her 12-year-old has fallen 'sick and developed a cough' due to the living conditions, report Birmingham Live.
They claim that they were better off in their bomb shelter basement back home as there is no shower and the bath is in a completely unusable state - full of water and balls of hair due to a blockage.
The pair were forced to flee their country, leaving behind her husband, as Russian troops advanced just 50km from their home.
Speaking of the devastation back in Ukraine, Tatyana said: "We never thought what it could be like when sitting at home and hearing explosions and shots. We heard the explosions constantly.
"We went down into the basement every time an air raid alarm sounded, but at least it was our house and our basement where conditions are better than here. The child should not get sick and live in unsanitary conditions."
Now, mum-of-one fears for her daughter's health, questioning whether they deserve to live in such conditions after all that Russian President, Vladimir Putin, put her country through.
She said: "We have almost not washed for a week, there is no possibility to take a shower. There is dirt, stench and mould everywhere.
"The state of my daughter's health began to deteriorate sharply, a rash and cough appeared. We came to the UK at the invitation of the government to be safe and sound. Do we deserve such conditions?"
The mum says they are trying to 'spend as little time as possible at the homeless shelter'' by walking around the city.
However, they cannot escape from the realities of their situation as the youngster is still coughing, claims Tatyana.
She says that all their belongings are also crammed into the tiny room - where they both sleep on the bottom bunk.
The top bunk is used as a desk so her daughter can do her homework and they share a small kitchen, bathroom, toilet and 'living room' - a tiny area with two chairs, damaged walls and a broken light - with two other families, the mum claims.
She cannot cook in the kitchen, where there is a "stench", mould, dirt, disrepair and the cupboard doors are falling off.
The 42-year-old continued to say: "The woman from next room who has two young children says her children also suffer from mould and allergies."
Speaking about her own daughter, she said: "I will not be able to keep a child in such conditions because health is the most important. I know that it can get worse and cause progression - for example, asthma and bone disease.
"I'm not good either especially the psychological state.
"I'm already thinking about returning to Ukraine."
Since coming to the UK, the mum has been working as a hotel cleaner and, for the past two months, has been looking to rent privately.
But she has had no luck.
The family lived in a "good" sponsored house in Stirchley for six months after fleeing to Birmingham in May this year. However, when the sponsorship ended, they were moved into the emergency accommodation in Northfield.
Tatyana said: "If we could change living conditions, we would like to stay here for the winter, because without light or heat [in Ukraine] it would be difficult.
"Now Russian troops moved a little further away but the danger persists with rocket attacks. And they constantly exclude electricity because they destroyed infrastructure."
Her husband is still in Ukraine along with her mother and other relatives.
They occasionally communicate but according to Tatyana, "they now often lose signal, it is connected with the destruction of infrastructure.
"He knows how we live and is not very happy about it. He wanted us to be safe and in good condition but did not hope for such. He agrees if our situation does not change we must return."
Birmingham City Council has since apologised for "any inconvenience" and said it is working to find a "more suitable move-on accommodation".
A spokesperson for the council said: "We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused the tenant. The council had an obligation to accommodate them at extremely short notice following the breakdown of their placement as part of the government's Homes for Ukraine scheme.
"We are working with the family to find them more suitable move-on accommodation which meets their needs in line with our allocation policy."
