Ievgeniia Kuscherenko visa trouble as she tries to return to Ukraine to bury son Glib Babich

Heartbroken Ukrainian refugee has to choose between staying in Australia or losing her visa to travel back to the war-torn country for her son’s funeral after he was killed in battle

  • A mother has been told if she goes to Ukraine for sons funeral she will lose visa
  • Ievgeniia Kuscherenko was left inconsolable after her son Glib Babich, was killed
  • Kuscherenko was told her refugee visa would be forfeited if she leaves Australia
  • Ukrainian Embassy to Australia sent a plea asking for an exemption to be made 

A mother who fled Ukraine has been told if she returns to the war-torn country to bury her fallen son she will be denied re-entry to Australia. 

Ievgeniia Kuscherenko sought safety in Melbourne but was left shattered after her son Glib Babich, 53, was killed on the frontline amid Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

She is now desperate to fly back for her son’s funeral but has been told by authorities her humanitarian visa would subsequently be forfeited and she would have to apply for another one just to return.

Ievgeniia Kuscherenko (pictured) was left inconsolable after her son Glib Babich, was killed on the frontline in Ukraine

Glib Babich (pictured),  lost his life in battle this week in the war torn country. His mother said she has been told if she returns to Ukraine for the 53-year-old's funeral she will forfeit her humanitarian visa

Glib Babich (pictured),  lost his life in battle this week in the war torn country. His mother said she has been told if she returns to Ukraine for the 53-year-old’s funeral she will forfeit her humanitarian visa

Ms Kuscherenko has been inconsolable since her son was killed, with close friend Larysa Williams describing the situation as ‘absurd’.

‘Mums, they cannot come to bury their children?’ she told Nine News. 

The mother has secured a plea from the Ukrainian embassy asking the Australian Department of Home Affairs to make an exception under ‘tragic circumstances’.

‘We kindly ask you to consider as an exception a possibility for her current visa to remain in force, which will allow her to return to Australia,’ the letter from the ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko read. 

Ms Kuscherenko received a response from the home affairs department, but it offered no solace.

‘Visas will however, cease upon departure. There are no exemptions to this policy,’ the letter read.

Her daughter-in-law Katya Kucherenko questioned why more wasn’t being done.

‘There must be more than just a generic response especially for a mother who needs to and must say goodbye to her son,’ she said. 

‘We are hoping for a miracle.’

Australian jockey Craig Williams who met Babich on a recent aid mission to Ukraine is supporting his grieving family. 

He said if Ms Kuscherenko travels back to Ukraine, it’s likely her other son who is still alive ‘would have to go back and bury his mother’.

A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said the mother is able to apply for a new visa to return to Australia.

Immigration lawyers have however told the family it wouldn’t be an easy task.

Minister Andrew Giles' office said the mother is able to apply for a new visa if she goes to her son's funeral but immigration lawyers have told the family getting a visa again will be difficult

Minister Andrew Giles’ office said the mother is able to apply for a new visa if she goes to her son’s funeral but immigration lawyers have told the family getting a visa again will be difficult

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