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Daily gives work experience to refugee who fled war-torn Ukraine

Anastasiia ShovkopliasA Ukrainian refugee has undertaken work experience with a regional daily as she aims to launch a career in journalism.

Anastasiia Shovkoplias has completed a placement with the Southern Daily Echo after fleeing her war-torn homeland and settling in Hampshire.

Anastasiia, pictured, was studying IT at university in Bratislava, Slovakia, when the Russian invasion began and she rushed home in order to be reunited with her mother.

They then escaped together and passed back through Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Belgium and France before being taken in by a couple from the village of Dibden Purlieu, near Southampton, in May.

The 19-year-old subsequently wrote to Echo editor Ben Fishwick, asking if she could undertake work experience in its newsroom.

During her time there last week, she wrote a first-person piece revealing her experience as a refugee crossing Europe.

Anastasiia is now hoping to study journalism after completing her placement with the Echo.

Ben told HTFP: “It was great to welcome Anastasiia to the Echo newsroom at Ocean Village in Southampton after she made contact with me looking for a journalism work experience placement.

“Anastasiia wrote harrowingly about her experience as war broke out in Ukraine and it’s hard not to read her piece and feel moved for her and her family.

“Giving placements to anyone interested in getting into journalism – whatever their background – is so important and I hope Anastasiia will be successful in her journalism studies at university after getting an insight into the best of local journalism in the UK.”