Ukrainian woman to wed at St Oswald's Church, Guiseley in defiance of Russian invasion

Yulia Sizkova was on the verge of postponing her wedding on Friday to principal electrical engineer Paul Dodsworth of Moortown, Leeds, after fighting erupted in Ukraine. She has parents, family and friends in the city of Lebedyn, barely 60 miles from the Russian border.

But her parents convinced Yulia - who runs the Blinok Pancake House in Guiseley - to go ahead, and the Rev David Pickett, rector of St Oswald’s Church in Guiseley has arranged for the service to be live-streamed directly to Lebedyn.

Yulia's mum Tetiana Kizian and her dad Vova Kizian

Husband-to-be Paul said: “They will hopefully be able to watch it live and this will give them some comfort.

“Out of respect we will have yellow and blue flowers and a big Ukrainian Flag in the background in the church.

“At the reception we plan to have a big screen and have Yulia’s parents on it, if they have electricity and are able to connect to the internet. We hope it will be safe to do so, depending on whether Russia is attacking again.”

Yulia and Paul met at the Pancake House in March last year, and got engaged in August. They have been planning their wedding at St Oswald’s ever since.

Rev Pickett said: “It is my great privilege to be able to marry Yulia and Paul at St Oswald's Church in front of family and friends, including those viewing via the internet from the beleaguered area of Eastern Ukraine. To be able to bring love and joy into this catastrophic situation is beyond measure.”

The family had already been facing difficulties as Yulia’s mum Tetiana Kizian had recently undergone a life-saving operation, which meant that her and Yulia’s dad Vova were not able to come over for the wedding.

Paul Dodsworth and Yulia Sizkova

But Yulia and Paul were due to fly out to Ukraine on Monday where they were going to have a big family celebration and a church blessing with Yulia’s family and friends. Paul said: “All Yulia’s family want the wedding to go ahead and see this as a temporary situation.”

Paul and Yulia with family and friends in Ukraine

Yulia’s family plan to stay in Ukraine for the duration of the crisis. Paul said: “Yulia feels very frightened and worried for her parents safety and hears first hand the terrible situation they are all in fighting for their lives.

“Yulia’s parents are saying they are staying in the Ukraine to protect their country. They are fighting for their territory and their freedom, they don’t want to run away and find a safe place, they want to be involved in the effort as much as they can.

"As soon as it is safe we will definitely be meeting up with them again, whether that means we go to Ukraine of they come to England.”

*Anyone who wishes to donate to Ukrainian humanitarian efforts can do so via a collection box at Yulia’s Blinok Pancake House, Station Road, Guiseley.