Hello! I’m Ksenya Bratkova, a portrait and art photographer from Ukraine now living in Wales. I want to share my story with you and tell you how the war changed my life but couldn’t change my love for art and Ukraine.
Ksenya Bratkova
I’m from Kyiv, born into a family of teachers and engineers. My family has a rich history – my grandfather was a prominent scientist and professor at the National Aviation University. By education, I’m an international relations manager, but my heart has always belonged to art. That’s why I additionally pursued an art education in interior design and decoration.
When the war began, my children and I planned to “wait it out” in Lithuania, where friends had taken us in. But fate had other plans – my son, who has a rare medical condition, needed specialized medical care. That’s how we found ourselves in Wales.
I remember our departure from Kyiv in December 2022. It was a time of constant power outages. We spent the last week before leaving without electricity, water, or heat, under constant shelling of our district. It was frightening, but we had to stay strong.
We were welcomed by a wonderful Welsh family. Their house is located in one of Britain’s most picturesque places – the area reminds me of our beloved Carpathian Mountains. But life here was challenging at first: lack of transport, language barrier, uncertainty about my child’s treatment.
What struck me most was how similar Wales is to Ukraine in spirit. There’s the same deep culture, similar struggle for independence, even some ornaments remind me of our vyshyvankas (traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts). The Welsh, like Ukrainians, have a very deep connection with nature and their roots.
In upcoming posts, I’ll tell you more about my journey: how photography helped me feel alive again, my Heritage project for the Ukrainian community, the peculiarities of working as a photographer in another country, and how to maintain your identity far from home. I’ll also share some advice for Ukrainians who find themselves abroad.
Thank you for reading my story. If you have any questions or want to share your own experience, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Follow my work and connect with me on Facebook
This blog is part of the “Ukrainians in Wales” project, where we share our community’s stories and help each other adapt to life in a new country.
