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A young Ukrainian forced to flee his war-torn homeland collapsed in his mother’s arms during an emotional television interview as a thunderstorm raged over Sydney, because the sound reminded him of missile strikes.
Angelina Samko, her husband and their three traumatized children moved to Bondi Beach in April of last year, two months after the bloody invasion of Russia.
He sat down with Hamish McDonald on Sunday’s episode of The Project, to share his family’s harrowing journey out of Eastern Europe.
“I still don’t feel well when there’s a storm,” Ms. Samko said as Anton cried ‘mom’ off camera.
“And the kids are still very stressed about it…he’s scared.”
McDonald tells the terrified boy that it’s okay to interrupt the interview and ‘give mommy a hug’.
Moments later, he wraps his arms around Anton and reassures him that everything will be okay.
Ukrainian mother Angelina Samko hugs her distraught son Anton at their Sydney residence after sounds of a thunderstorm reminded the boy of Russian missile attacks.
Ms. Samko was forced to leave her business as a cosmetic tattoo artist behind and say goodbye to her mother, who decided to stay in her besieged home.
“She said, ‘I’m very happy if you’re leaving, but I just want to stay here.’ Just make sure you’re safe. It will be enough for me.’
The family was only able to undertake their treacherous 3,000 km journey from Berdyans’k in the east of the country through 18 Russian checkpoints to an Italian airport after a humanitarian corridor was opened for refugees.
“At a checkpoint, I thought we were going to die,” Ms. Samko revealed.
“There was a shelling next to us and I was very stressed and I was just praying. I have never prayed so much.
With the help of a friend from Down Under, the family eventually made it to Sydney and Mrs Samko even opened a new cosmetic tattoo business in Woollahra.
She believes that living by the ocean is having a positive effect on the family’s recovery, particularly Anton’s.
The family had to go through 18 Russian checkpoints to reach their destination in Italy.
Ms Samko (pictured) revealed that her family fled the war-torn country, traveling 3,000 km to Italy to fly to Australia.
Ms. Samko’s hometown, Berdyans’k, was captured by the Russian army three days after the invasion (pictured, a burning Russian ship in the port of Berdyans’k)
The war in Ukraine continues just days before the one-year anniversary of the invasion (pictured, rescuers work in a residential building destroyed by a Russian missile attack in Kramatorsk, Ukraine)
‘He goes surfing every day and for him, I’m so happy that he can go to the beach, be comfortable in the sea because the sea.
“It brings you a little bit more calm and you feel like you’re going to be okay.”
But her new life in Australia is still full of pain.
Since she arrived, she learned that her father was probably killed by the Russian invaders.
“I remember the days when we were at Bondi Beach, having a coffee and then, just in a few seconds, they can’t and they realize they gave it all up,” said Ms Samko.
The war continues to rage just days after the first anniversary of the invasion.
The family lives by the ocean, which Ms. Samko believes is having a positive effect on her recovery.
US Vice President Kamala Harris told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that support for Ukraine “will not waver”, pledging that Russia would be held accountable for its “crimes against humanity”.
‘The United States has formally determined that Russia has committed crimes against humanity.
“And I say to all those who have perpetrated these crimes, and to your superiors who are complicit in those crimes, you will be held accountable.”
She added: ‘If Putin thinks he can wait for us, he is sorely mistaken. Time is not on his side.’