A Ukrainian refugee who fled Russian rocket attacks has started a new life - and a new job - in Ashby.

Solicitor Viktoria Smyrnova was forced to leave her homeland after experiencing the horrors of the war in Ukraine.

After a difficult journey to leave the country, she found a new home and has been able to resume her legal career with well-known Ashby law firm Fishers Solicitors.

But that does not tell the whole story.

Viktoria told Ashby Nub News about her remarkable story and eye witness accounts about life in Ukraine while coming under Russian attack.

She left the country with her nine year old son Mark and does not see a day when she can return to Ukraine - as all she had there is now gone.

Now, Viktoria is sharing a house with the mother of one of the partners at Fishers, Guy Birtwistle - her background in law meaning she has been able to find work in Ashby where she has been welcomed.

But she has been through than any of us can imagine.

She explained what has happened in her life during the past few months.

Viktoria said: "I worked as a lawyer in the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine, this has been Russian occupied since 2014.

"This was my home town and the first to be occupied by Russia.

"I was living there and working in a solicitors office.

"But we couldn't stay there, it was impossible, what Russia brings is the Soviet Union.

"It means it was very difficult to live there.

 "We had to change our place of residence and we moved to Mariupol - this was also in the Donetsk region, but it was free of Russia and was Ukrainian territory.

 "Everything was fine then.

 "Then, on February 24, the war started and they first started bombing blocks of flats at night.

"We woke up and took our son, the cat, blankets, left the apartment and never returned.

"I witnessed the bombing, it was very close.

"The reason why we woke up was that our block of flats was shaking.

"We had big windows, they were shaking too.

"I saw it in real life.

"We couldn't stay there either.

"Also, we took food in cans, cookies, crisps. We ran away at once.

"Nobody could believe something like that could happen and that a real war would start.

"We felt the rockets would stop and we could return home. We didn't take anything precious.

"We went towards a safe region in the western part of Ukraine, but that wasn't that safe either.

"Russia can aim anywhere, randomly. The town we stayed in next was where soldiers were there for treatment, so the Russians could aim for there too.

"I can't say where that was for security reasons.

"It wasn't safe to stay there, there were several missile attacks during that time.

"We had to keep moving."

Viktoria says she was put in touch about moving to England by a friend - but in tragic circumstances.

She added: "My close friend from Mariupol lost her husband, he was hit during a rocket attack. He was in his garden, doing nothing and was killed.

"So she was first to come to the UK. She was so crushed by this tragedy."

But while the circumstances of Viktoria's arrival in Ashby are painful, she now says Fishers has helped her recover and continue her career.

Guy, Partner and Head of Tax and Trusts, explained that Fishers have been delighted to offer Viktoria a permanent role as a trainee paralegal, and she has been a welcome addition to the firm's Wills Trusts and Probate team.

Viktoria explained: "My friend came here in order to start a new life in Ashby with her two sons.

"We communicated and I said how difficult it was to stay in Ukraine.

"She said maybe she could help me to move here.

"Her sponsors found me a sponsor, then we applied for a visa on June 21. Myself and my son came here.

"I could stay here in the Homes for Ukraine scheme. It was Guy's mother who is my sponsor, Lesley is her name.

"There was a connection with Fishers, they knew I had been a lawyer since 2002 and have a Master's degree in law.

"There was a chance to come here. Fishers is a brilliant place to work. "I came here in August and now I have just started with work here.

"I specialise in Wills and Probate. At home, my previous job was very similar.

"But I'm not thinking about the future and what will happen.

"It was a struggle and very difficult to leave. But everyone here is kind, helpful and supportive. There are a lot of things I need to learn in my work."

There has been no language problem for Viktoria who speaks excellent English.

She added: "I have been learning English since I was six. At University I was president of the Legal English club.

"I have no choice but to familiarise myself with English legal terms - because I have no place to return."

But she says she is one of the lucky ones - not all those who left Ukraine have found work.

Viktoria explained: "As for those who are staying here for six months, it's extremely difficult to find accommodation for Ukrainians.

"You need to meet several requirements such as having work experience for six months, not everyone found a job on the first day. It's a huge problem, I don't know what they can do.

"Lots of Ukrainians communicate, for all of them it's a problem. I don't know anyone who's found accommodation other than at their sponsor's house."