Refugee medics want to use skills to repay Irish people for kindness

The letters put on the back of Nikolai Sykal's car that spell "children" to highlight to Russian soldiers that there are children on board.

Two Ukrainian medical doctors who spent eight days with their children underground escaping missile fire want to use their skills to thank Irish people for their hospitality when they arrive this weekend. 

Nikolai Sykal, his wife Vicka and her sister and four children are due to arrive on Saturday after fleeing the embattled city of Kharkiv. They will be met by his half-sister, Iryna Sykal Byrne, who has lived in Ireland for the last 20 years.

Nikolai, a qualified surgeon and his wife who is an anaesthetist hope they can give back to the Irish for their hospitality through helping them medically, according to Iryna. Iryna has secured initial accommodation for her family, which has been kindly offered by The Bay Hotel in Arklow, Co. Wicklow, where she lives.

Nikolai Sykal and his family in better times.

After that, a generous resident has offered a house in the area for a number of weeks.

At present, Iryna shares a one-bedroom apartment with her 19-year-old son Alex and her 20-year-old nephew Yurii who arrived in Ireland from Ukraine just ahead of the Russian invasion.

"People here have been so kind and generous," said Iryna who also graduated as a medical doctor in Ukraine but was unable to practise here when she first arrived.

Anya (Nikolai's sister-in-law who is also coming to Ireland) with her daughter Masha and Nikolai's daughter Nika in the bunker before fleeing.

"Unfortunately, my home is too small but people have offered me a beautiful house to use on a temporary basis for my brother, two ladies and four children aged 14 (twin boys) and girls, 10 and seven. This is just an unexpected nightmare and noone knows what is going to happen or how long it will go on.

"I grew up in Kharkiv and so my friends are there. They are all staying because their husbands and sons have been conscripted to the army.

"My half-brother and his family have spent eight days underground, not knowing what the next minute would bring. He said it was like a horror film.

"He even had to spell children across the back of the car so soldiers would know there were children in the car. They are traumatised like everyone in the situation and noone knows what happens next. 

"My pleas for help have been met by the most amazing people who have offered homes and lifts from the airport and even just advice on getting them out of Poland.

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"The owners of the Bay Hotel have been fantastic in offering them a room and breakfast for the initial few days and then another generous resident has given them the use of a house for a number of weeks. We are so thankful."

Iryna said she is heartbroken by the shocking invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Some of the children in Nikolai Sykal's car as they flee Ukraine.

"I'm getting messages from friends over there every morning to say they are still alive. They are just in a panic but it's heartbreaking for me because I can't help them. Nikolai and his wife want to come here but they want to work. 

"They want to repay all the kindness they have received by using their skills to help while they are in Ireland. We will look into how they will be allowed to work here once they are settled. They don't want to come here and add to the problems of the unemployed that already exist. 

"They don't want to come here at all - but they can't stay in a future that is no longer their own. If they can't have peace in their homeland, they can have peace of mind here and they are intent on giving back for all the kindness and generosity they have already been offered."