Kateryna had to watch the funerals of beloved family on WhatsApp

Refugee’s bid to get siblings to Ireland

- JOHN HAND

A UKRAINIAN refugee who lost four family members to Russian shelling watched their funerals on her phone as her mum and 23-day-old sister were laid to rest in one coffin. 

Kateryna Konyshcheva’s mum Olesya, 39, stepdad Dmitro, 35, her 11-year-old brother Artem and newborn Sofia were all killed on August 13.

Kateryna, who has been living in Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim for a number of months, had bought a teddy for young Artem and a doll for baby Sofia but she never got the opportunity to give the presents to her siblings.