Southampton student loses contact with sister in Ukraine as brother fights

These are words a man texts to his sister almost every day from war-torn Ukraine. 

With bated breath, Southampton student Claudia Jorda Arnal awaits news from her brother Kola, who is struggling for survival in Ukraine.

Her sister Sofia, and two-year-old niece, are also in the country, but she has "lost all contact" with the 20-year-old.

"I got in touch with everyone in her area, but no one knew anything," she told the Echo.

Claudia with her sister and niece

Claudia, 21, adds that her sister's last known location was Ivankiv, which was heavily bombed and destroyed by the Russian army. 

Yet, Claudia is still in touch with her 28-year-old brother, who lives in Boryspil. 

"He can't leave the country. He has to wait until they are called in to fight.

"I feel happy when I get a text from him that says he is alive," says Claudia. 

As the Russian army continues its invasion, it is forbidden for Ukrainian men aged 18–60 to leave the borders of Ukraine. 

Both of her siblings were adopted from Chernobyl in Ukraine by her parents. Her brother was adopted when Claudia was only one, while her sister was adopted when she was four. 

Claudia (Right) with her brother and sister.

And a lack of communication from her siblings has caused a stir of emotions for Claudia. However, now she is doing her part to help refugees escape the country.

Recently, she got back to Southampton from Poland, where she was working as a humanitarian aid volunteer. 

She has worked as an aid volunteer ever since she was seven, alongside her mother. 

Recalling her experience in Poland, she said: "People are coming into Poland with only a backpack and a small suitcase. They're all tired and only want to close their eyes to get some sleep. 

"Some kids were telling me that their school was bombed while there were people inside the building. The kids won't be able to forget any of these things. 

Children refugee in Poland.

Overnight, the Spanish humanitarian team managed to send 600 refugees to Valencia in buses and planes. 

Claudia is a second-year sports science student at Solent University. She only hopes for the safety of her family and those who are fighting for survival on Ukrainian grounds.