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Ukrainian woman Olena Symonenko spoke to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4's Woman's Hour last week from a bunker in Ukraine – now she and her six-year-old son are safe in Poland. Olena says she thinks they got the ‘last chance to leave the city.’

The number of refugees leaving Ukraine has reached a million and the UNHCR are projecting that over four million refugees may need protection and assistance in countries neighbouring Ukraine.

In the video, Olena speaks about her journey westward over the last six days, which started with an arduous car journey with her husband and son to the west of Ukraine.

Her husband has stayed in Ukraine to help the war effort and her mother has also stayed behind – feeling that she would not make the journey to the border. She is staying at home in Kyiv instead, sheltering in a basement when air raid sirens go off.

After boarding a train taking women and children to the Czech Republic, Olena explained that she got help from friends of friends to get to Warsaw in Poland, where she is now.

To hear Anita Rani’s full conversation with Olena, head to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sounds and listen to the 4 March Woman's Hour podcast episode.

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