Russia invades Ukraine: Former Rotorua resident says situation 'heartbreaking'

Valeria Liaskovskaia, who is from Moscow in Russia, said the situation was "pretty heartbreaking". Photo / Supplied

Valeria Liaskovskaia spent most of her childhood in a small town that has been bombed and attacked during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Liaskovskaia, who came to Rotorua from Moscow in Russia four years ago, said the situation was "pretty heartbreaking".

"No one wants this. It is not the Russians, it is the Government, it's Putin. It is very sad for all of us."

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has seen airstrikes on cities and military bases and troops and tanks enter the country from three sides in an attack that has been described as "full-scale war".

In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has imposed a "blanket ban" on travel and any exports that could end up in military use in Russia.

Some of about 40 New Zealanders in the Ukraine area had received consular help to leave.

Liaskovskaia, 35, came to Rotorua four years ago but moved to Auckland in 2020.

"I am so happy to be here in New Zealand."

Liaskovskaia said she had at least 75 per cent Ukrainian blood and most of her relatives lived in Ukraine.

"I spent most of childhood in that town [Gemichesk] which is being tanked and bombed."

She said her brother had been in touch with their relatives, who were on her father's side, and had been told they were not hurt.

"No one knows what is going to happen."

Rotorua Multicultural Council president Margriet Theron said there were many Russian migrants living in Rotorua who will be upset about this.

"We must not forget about them."

Twenty-one-year-old Lyudmils Shelton at border control training in December 2020. Photo / Supplied

Ukraine-born Pāpāmoa woman Lyudmyla Shelton hasn't been able to go to work or leave her bed since this war broke out.

"I'm crying so much," the distraught Shelton said.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has seen airstrikes on cities and military bases and troops and tanks enter the country from three sides in an attack that has been described as "full-scale war".

In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has imposed a "blanket ban" on travel and any exports that could end up in military use in Russia.

Some of about 40 New Zealanders in the Ukraine area had received consular help to leave.

Shelton, former owner of Luda Hair Salon in Rotorua was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and fears she may never see her 21-year-old son Lyudmils Shelton again.

Lyudmils was in training to be a Ukrainian border control officer. Now he will be sent to the frontlines of the conflict with Russia.

"He asked me not to panic. He said he is strong and not afraid of the invasion.

"I pray for my beautiful son, all Ukrainian soldiers and innocent people who have no time to run."

Shelton said she believed there was no chance for Ukrainian citizens to be saved.

"I just heard from my son. He said he would stand with his fellow Ukrainians, protect his family and his grandparents to his last breath, to the last drop of his blood."

She does not know when or if she will hear from her son again.

"I'm so sorry. I cannot stop crying."

Without help from the EU or the rest of the world, Shelton said, Ukraine will fall.

Former Tauranga mayor and colonel Tenby Powell, pictured in 2019, said: "We should all be deeply concerned." Photo / George Novak

Former Tauranga mayor and colonel Tenby Powell said: "We should all be deeply concerned.

"We haven't seen anything like this since 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. This has all the same hallmarks of that."

Powell has served in the regular and reserve forces of the New Zealand Army since 1983 and holds the rank of colonel.

He said Russia has used Ukraine's northern, eastern and southern entry points in a pincer move to entrap Kyiv and shoot down unwelcome aircraft. Motorised armed divisions and combat armies were also in play.

"Imagine tanks rolling down Cameron Rd, that's exactly what's happening over there," Powell said.

"The reality is there are already people dead, children without parents."

Powell believed the Ukraine citizen-soldiers would have the incensed motivation of fighting for their country to help push them through the conflict, compared to Russian soldiers following orders.

However, "I don't believe Ukraine can do this by themselves."

He hoped Nato forces were preparing a swift response to stop any further bloodshed now the battle has become an urban combat scenario.

"I served with both Ukraine and Russians and had a great relationship with both, particularly the Ukrainian. We served two tours of duty in the Middle East in 2001/2002. I'm very sad about what's happened there. They are all good people in their own way," Powell said.

"The world doesn't need this."

Powell was concerned if this continued it could spark similar invasions involving China and Taiwan or North Korea and Japan.

"And it'll only grow from there."

Rotorua Labour List MP Tamati Coffey said he echoed the Prime Minister's sentiments that New Zealand was standing up with other countries in taking a "hard-line" towards Putin.

"It's really sad, particularly all the uncertainty and the volatile nature of what has happened. We are doing what we can with the resources and intelligence we have ...

"Unfortunately, we need to wait for more intelligence and more information to better understand the shape of this evolving situation and also what support is needed."

Rotorua National MP Todd McClay said it was difficult for the New Zealand Government to do much more, partly because the Autonomous Sanctions legislation has yet to be passed.

McClay said the best our Government can do was to voice its condemnation.

Additional reporting - Maryana Garcia and Kiri Gillespie