Ukrainian lessons for young refugees living in North Yorkshire

Some children say they're starting to forget their first language

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 2nd Apr 2024

Ukrainian children living on the Yorkshire coast are now so fluent in English - some say they're beginning to forget Ukrainian.

It's why language lessons are now being taught at the Sunflower Community project.

They're also learning about Ukrainian culture and history.

"It's about our identity and our heart"

Iryna Kutsemakhina moved to Scarborough with her children almost two years ago following the full scale Russian invasion: "Looking at my young daughter she is more British now than Ukrainian and I love my country I don't want my children knowing nothing about it."

"Sometimes when she speaks with British people, I don't understand what she is talking about it. It's a fluent language for her. It's amazing but for me it will be better if she knows two languages, her native as well."

"As soon as the war will stop, we will go home and hopefully we will be happy there, but it's not only about going back home it's about our identity and our heart."

"To sustain our Ukrainian identity we decided to have these lessons to tell more to our children about culture, our history and our language."

Meanwhile there is a renewed plea for sponsors in North Yorkshire as Russia carries out more strikes on the country.

Multiple explosions were heard in Kyiv on Monday morning as a Russian attack hit the Ukrainian capital for the third time in five days.

The attack came amid an apparent escalation of aerial bombardment of cities by the Kremlin's forces as the war stretches into its third year with the front line largely stationary.

Nine people were injured in the strike on the Ukrainian capital, the Ukraine Rescue Service said.

The Pecherskyi district was the hardest hit with missile debris causing damage to homes in two districts and a local college gym in another district, Ukraine'sNational Police said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his appeal for Western partners to provide more air defence systems to protect against the unrelenting attacks.

"We never tire of repeating that Ukraine needs more air defence," he said.

"This is security for our cities and saved human lives."

You can find out more information here about becoming a sponsor in North Yorkshire.

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