A Ukrainian singer who fled the war has revealed she dedicated her poignant solo in King Charles III's Christmas broadcast to the memory of her cousin, who was killed fighting against Russian forces.
A Performance Steeped in Memory
Professional singer Olha Terletska, 30, was part of the Songs for Ukraine choir whose rendition of 'Carol of the Bells' featured at the end of the monarch's festive message, filmed by the BBC at Westminster Abbey. Watched by millions, her performance held a deeply personal significance.
Olha now lives in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, with her ten-year-old son, her 15-year-old brother, and her mother. The family escaped the conflict in the summer of 2022 under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, initially finding sanctuary in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
Remembering Cousin Bohdan
Olha performs in honour of her cousin, Bohdan Izmailov, who served in Ukraine’s Air Assault Brigade. He was killed in 2023 during a special combat mission at the age of just 22.
"Every time when I’ve got a big project like this I’m thinking about him," Olha explained. "I’m doing that for him, in his memory, all the time. He did his mission, now I’m doing it here."
Describing him as like a brother, she recalled their childhood spent together at their grandmother's house. She said Bohdan, from Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, was a kind and shy young man with a "big heart," who had enlisted when the war began.
Building a New Life Through Song
After arriving in the UK, Olha, who works as a teaching assistant, joined the Songs for Ukraine choir. The group was established after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 and brings together those who fled the conflict, Ukrainians already in the UK, and others.
Olha stated the royal broadcast was an important show of support. "It is still really important now because we can remind people that the war didn’t finish yet," she said.
Fellow choir member Arina Koroletska, 23, who moved from Kryvyi Rih with her family, described singing at Westminster Abbey after the King's speech as an "unforgettable" experience that left her in shock.
Katya Kuznetsova, who co-manages the choir, said the group provides "solace and comfort," allowing members to forget their troubles for a few hours each week through the healing power of music.
Olha, who had previously met King Charles at Windsor Castle in April, has her father and another brother, 25, still living in Ukraine.
