Israeli traveled to Ukraine to visit mother, is now trapped in city under Russian siege

Israeli Masha Ovcherko traveled to Ukraine to visit her mother in Mariupol, and now finds herself trapped in the port city currently under Russian siege.

Ovcherko shivers in fear as she speaks with Channel 12 from her mother’s home in Mariupol where she is hiding out with her seven-year-old son.

Ovcherko says that Russian troops cut internet cables in the city for two days to prevent residents from knowing what was happening around them.

She says she reached out to Israeli authorities who told her to head to the border in order to receive help, but Ovcherko says she has no way of making the long trek and is scared of how dangerous it is.

Directing her plea to Israeli authorities, she says, “We’re helpless, and we’re asking for help.”

“We just want to come home. We’re imprisoned here and want our government to help us,” she adds.