Ukrainian models who fled to Scotland live in fear for families left behind

dailyrecord.co.uk:

As they smile for the camera Maryna Demianenko and Alyona Lykhosherstova’s hearts are silently breaking for loved ones left behind in wartorn Ukraine.The stunning models both sought asylum in Scotland after Russia invaded their country, destroyed their cities and started murdering their friends and neighbours.In a bid to help their families financially, the girls made the heartbreaking decision to leave the Ukraine and find modelling work in a safer country.The duo, who have done shoots all over the world, are now signed to Scotland’s top agency Colours who are trying to get them as much work as they possibly can with clients.It’s been a year since the invasion and Maryna, 26, whose family are trapped inside Russian occupied territory and Alyona, 21, whose grandmother stayed behind when the rest of her loved ones fled to Poland, are now ready to tell their harrowing stories to ensure the world does not forget the hell the people of Ukraine are still going through.Alyona was on a modelling job in Turkey when the bombs started to fall on her home city of Kharkiv in the northeast of the country on February 24, 2022 and her terrified teenage brother phoned to say goodbye.She said: “When the invasion began I received a call at 5am from my family who feared they may not make it out alive.

My 14-year-old brother came on the phone to tell me he loved me and that he was going to die. He was basically saying goodbye to me.

It was heartbreaking.“Bombing was happening so quickly that everyone was terrified to leave their homes for food or water. The infrastructure of the city was completely destroyed with the initial bombings and people were desperately looking for food and somewhere safe to shelter.“Three days in and the Russians