Ukrainian child denied flight to San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — A Ukrainian mom who fled from Kyiv along with her 4-month-old child was unable to board a flight to San Francisco International Airport as a result of her child didn’t have a journey visa and passport.
Olha Korol and her toddler son, Severyn Korotniuk, fled after the Russian navy invaded. Her husband and father stayed behind in Kyiv.
They took a 20-hour bus experience earlier than reaching Frankfurt, Germany, the place they’re at the moment stranded.
Korol and her child had aircraft tickets to fly from Germany to San Francisco on March 7 with hopes of reaching relations who stay in San Jose, California.
“I went to the Ukrainian consulate in Frankfurt. They put a photo of my baby in my passport. They put stamps showing it’s official and legal. They said it should be enough. He’s an infant, he’s small, he doesn’t have anything. Then we boarded the plane and the (airlines) did not board us because the baby doesn’t have a passport,” Korol informed KRON4.
The battle has compelled greater than 2.8 million civilians to flee Ukraine, based on the U.N. refugee company. Hundreds of civilians have been killed within the battle.
While caught in limbo and alone along with her child, Korol worries about her husband and father again in Ukraine.
“When I look out at Germany, I feel guilt that we can breathe. My husband and my father are not able to go out because it’s safer to stay in the shelters,” Korol stated.
Korol stated she nonetheless hears emergency sirens blaring.
“In Keiv, there were sirens all the time. Even when it’s silent, I still hear it,” Korol stated.
Air raid sirens have been heard throughout Ukraine Monday as Russian troops refocused their efforts to grab Kyiv.
The combating is now in its third week. A pregnant girl and her child have been among the many lifeless, after Russia bombed the maternity hospital in Mariupol the place she was meant to provide delivery.
The cities of Irpin, Bucha and Hostomel have seen a few of the worst battle throughout Russia’s stalled try to take the capital.
Last week, Veronika Didusenko, a former Miss Ukraine, known as on the United States to do extra to assist moms feeling Ukraine with kids by granting “humanitarian parole.”
Didusenko fled along with her 7-year-old son from Kyiv whereas Russian navy bombs fell from the sky.
“On February 24, my 7-year-old son and I were awakened by sirens and explosions. In between raids, we, along with tens of thousands of other families, tried to get out of the city,” Didusenko stated.
Didusenko and her son escaped over Ukraine’s southwestern border. They traveled throughout Moldova, Romania, and Luxembourg earlier than reaching a pal’s home in Switzerland.
Didusenko stated she went to a U.S. embassy to acquire a journey visa for her son so they may fly to California collectively. Her son’s visa software was denied.
Like many Ukrainian refugees, Korol stated she loves her nation and hopes to return after the battle is over.
“I had a good life in Kyiv,” Korol informed KRON4.
Her cousin, Lena Tutko, lives in San Jose and is holding out hope that Korol and Severyn will discover a solution to California. Tutko began a GoFundMe web page to assist Korol pay for locations to remain in Germany.
“They are stuck in a foreign country, with no resolution in sight. I am desperately trying to help my family in this very difficult situation,” Tutko stated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
