On the 24th of February 2022, Vladimir Putin gave a televised address saying his aim was to ‘de-Nazify’ Ukraine. The Russian artillery that had been amassed on the border crossed into Ukraine and missiles began to fall on Kyiv and elsewhere. In the intervening weeks and months, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled, including journalist Maria Romanenko. One year on, Ukraine has liberated much of the territory captured by Russia, but the war still rages on.

Maria joined the Last Word and outlined her journey out of Ukraine where she left her family behind, what her life has been like since she settled in Manchester, and what she and her relatives back home are hoping for the future.

Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.