A Ukrainian woman living in Dorset will be returning to the frontline - but first is raising cash for her military unit.

Kate (Karyna) Bendik has been living in Dorset for the last nine months.

Before the war, she was just finishing her economics degree in Kyiv and was working as a manager in a gym when the war broke out. Fearful of the bombs, the family tried to make the journey to England, but her father suffered a heart attack on the way and sadly died.

Eventually, Kate, her two sisters and her mother made it to Dorset, where they were hosted in Sydling St Nicholas by Anne and Paul Brown, two retired GPs who used to work in Dorchester and now run a small farm.

Kate, now 23, has spent the last few months training in frontline combat medicine, so she can return to Ukraine and join a unit, the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, on the frontline where her partner, Daniel, has been since the war began.

Kate said: "We had an agreement.

"I wanted to go back straight away, but he (Daniel) told me that I should train in emergency medicine so that if I was going to risk returning, at least I could be helpful at the front."

Kate’s mother and sister have since returned to Kyiv as their grandfather is ill and her younger sister needs to continue her studies.

Kate will be returning next week, but before she goes she’s trying to raise money for a new 4x4 vehicle and medical supplies for her unit.

Kate added: "The system is different in Ukraine. Our soldiers have to pay for their own equipment, which is why I’m trying to do what I can to help before I go." 

She has set up a registered charity in Ukraine and a Just Giving site in the UK. All money raised will go directly into this charity bank account to help supply her unit.

Kate now hopes to continue her studies and become a doctor when the war is over.

"All Ukrainians should return to Ukraine and help fight," added Kate.

"Otherwise our children of the future will be having to fight on the same frontlines, and no one wants that. Also, we are fighting for the rest of Europe, and need all the help we can get." 

For Anne and her husband, Paul, when the war started in February 2022 they immediately wanted to get involved in helping the people of Ukraine.

Anne said: "It felt very close. And it is. Which meant it also felt quite personal and we were angry and wanted to do something. Offering to host a family felt like a no-brainer. We had empty rooms and were watching people who had nowhere to go.

"So I went online and found a site, telling Ukrainians which countries they could go to and what help was available. For the UK there was just one match site, and this is how Kate’s family found us."

If you want to contribute to Kate’s fundraising campaign go to: https://bit.ly/45DGrmS

You can also search Karyna Bendik on Just Giving.