Ukrainian mother, who lived in Long Bennington after fleeing the war-torn country, is proud of 19-year-old son helping out in his home country war effort

A doting mother has spoken of her immense pride in her son for doing his bit for his home country’s war effort — even though she had tried to keep him safely away from the conflict.

Olesia Khrapova fled Ukraine in 2022 with her six-year-old Alona Khrapova and son Maksym Khrapov, then 16, to escape the Russian invasion. Now an adult, headstrong Maksym is determined to do all he can to help his motherland and has left his family in to offer up his services.

The three first travelled 40 hours by train to Warsaw in Poland. They spent several months there before a host family was found for them in Long Bennington.

The family moved to Long Bennington on June 1, 2022, to live with Barry and Sarah Woodward.

“They were very kind to us, Barry told me we could live with them as long as we needed, they just wanted to help Ukrainian people,” said Olesia.

After nearly a year-and-a-half and feeling “very welcomed” by their host family, they found a flat to rent in Grantham, where they now live.

Across the time the family has been in England, Maksym continually told his mum how he wanted to go back home to fight in the war.

“He wanted to stay in Ukraine, he told me ‘I am a man, I have to be in Ukraine and I have to help Ukraine in this war,” added Olesia.

She said: “When we arrived in Poland, I tried to keep him busy because he was always telling me about it.

“On day three in Warsaw, he joined a camp and spent all his free time helping Ukrainian people.

“While we were living in a hostel, he could see how much food we had and always told me ‘I need to take this food and bring it to the Ukrainian people’.

“He just always wanted to bring help to the people.”

When they moved to Grantham, Olesia continued to try to convince her son that it was safer for him to stay in England.

She added: “We were trying so hard to keep him here for about two-and-a-half years.

“Lots of people tried, his friends, his father, everyone tried to tell him you have to stay here to be safe.

“He told me that at 18 years old ‘I will go and it will be my decision and no one can stop me’.”

Olesia signed Maksym up for a military base in England that was training Ukrainian soldiers.

“We tried to get him a job here. I had hoped that if he had this job, he would think and feel like he is helping Ukrainian soldiers,” said Olesia.

Unfortunately, Maksym did not pass his exam to get the job.

He then told his mother in Summer 2024 that he was leaving to join a four-year military academy course.

Olesia said: “He just told me one day ‘I am going’.

“I even tried to tell him I would take his passport away, but I understood I couldn’t keep him here anymore and I respected his decision.

“I realised that his heart and mind is there. It’s not possible for me to hold him here anymore.”

Maksym is in a military camp in England, helping on a translation programme for Ukrainian soldiers — and could be deployed overseas in the future.

Olesia added: “I was so happy he was here.

“My hope for now is, because he knows good English, he will get the opportunity to be abroad and help Ukrainian soldiers in different countries.”