War tears family apart

CUT OFF: UKRAINIAN MOM LIVING IN RUSSIA REGARDED AS A TRAITOR

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In war-torn Ukraine, her family considers her a traitor. In tightly controlled Russia, her life is defined by solitude.

A Ukrainian living in Russia for the past 20 years, Maria whose name has been changed for her safety - has for four years watched with horror as her adopted homeland waged war against her native country.

Her parents are her only family in Ukraine who still speak to her.

The rest of her friends and relatives there have cut her off.

"They consider me a traitor," said Maria, aged 48.

Her nephew, fighting for Ukraine, was wounded in combat while her son-in-law, drafted into Russia's army, was killed.

After moving to Russia to study, Maria stayed and would regularly visit Ukraine until 2022.

Moscow's decision to launch its full-scale military offensive on February 24, 2022 was "shocking" to her.

Maria has not seen her family in Ukraine since unable to leave Russia as her Ukrainian passport expired.

She is trying to get Russian citizenship to be able to travel more freely, but is caught in a vicious bureaucratic cycle.