EXCLUSIVE Revealed: ‘Heartless’ landlord kicking out a Ukrainian family-of-nine who fled their war-torn home for a new life in Britain after just a month is a married senior Royal Navy officer with two young children who has served in Afghanistan

• Maxim, 36, and wife Olga Hyryk fled from Kyiv with children and elderly parents
• They were given bungalow in Fareham, Hants, next door to their host neighbours
• But they were given eviction notice to quit and are crowdfunding for new home
• Landlords are the neighbouring Malsters family, who have given ‘no explanation’
• Dudley Malster is a married senior officer in the navy with 20-year military career

The ‘heartless’ landlord kicking out a family-of-nine who fled their war-torn home for Britain after just one month is a Royal Navy officer and his wife, MailOnline can reveal.

Maxim Hyryk and his wife Olga say they are baffled by their hosts’ decision to forced them out of the two-bedroom bungalow in Fareham, Hampshire – with no explanation why.

So far the couple and their five young children have raised £5,745 after setting up a JustGiving page to help them pay for their new accommodation.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Maxim said: ‘Of course we are a little bit angry, but also very upset that they could do this. Kelly and her husband were so welcoming and made us feel this was a place where we could stay.

‘Then, they just stopped talking to us and we had the letter telling us we are being evicted. We have until July 15. They also cut off the internet so that makes it difficult for us to email and communicate. The landlord is being heartless.

‘My family is very settled here with the schools, and it just means more upheaval.

‘If we can’t stay in his house we really want to stay in Fareham. It is where we can start our lives again. There will be no going back to Ukraine.’

Now MailOnline can reveal that their landlord Dudley Malster is a married senior officer in the navy who has two young children and has enjoyed a 20-year career in the military.

Landlord Dudley Malster is a married senior officer in the navy with 20-year military career

Maxim, 36, and wife Olga Hyryk fled from Kyiv with children and elderly parents to Fareham

The family were given bungalow in Fareham, Hants, next door to their host neighbours

The eviction notice the Hyryk Family received was from solicitors acting for the Malsters

Based at the Navy’s headquarters in Portsmouth, Mr Malster, 40, is attached to the UK’s High Readiness Maritime Force having served in Afghanistan, Bahrain and spent a year on secondment with the Canadian military, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He has been a warfare officer on several Type 23 Frigates, including HMS Northumberland and HMS Argyll and taken part in anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. And his work experience includes supporting the royal family on overseas tours.

Mr Malster and his wife Kelly, 46, live next door to the family they offered shelter to under the Government’s resettlement programme.

The property was previously owned by Kelly’s father Norman Duckett before he died last year.

Maxim said the couple, who have two children aged nine and five, couldn’t have been nicer hosts when they arrived in Fareham, Hampshire, after having spent two months in Poland.

He said their hosts were warm, inviting and friendly as they settled into their new life. Kelly, 46, collected the family from Stansted Airport and made them feel at home.

But three weeks ago and without any warning, Kelly and her husband cut off contact and the family were told by Hampshire County Council that they had to move out.

This was followed up with a letter on June 15 from the landlord’s solicitor telling them that they had to go by July 15.

The bungalow where the family of nine from Ukraine are currently living but facing eviction

Hanna, 69, was among the family and now also has to find a new home after the eviction notice

Maxim, 36, and wife Olga Hyryk fled from Kyiv with children and elderly parents last month

The family’s desperation has meant they now have to crowdfund to try and get rent together

Their internet access was shut off immediately and now the family have been forced to turn to fundraising to find somewhere else to live.

Hampshire County Council have told the family they are seeking a new home for them– but Maxim has been told they might end up in a hotel and miles from the schools the children so enjoy.

Has your Ukrainian family been hit by an eviction from your home in Britain like this? 

Has your Ukrainian family been hit by an eviction from your home in Britain like this? E-mail: [email protected] 

‘I contacted five local estate agents and when I told them we were a family of nine from Ukraine they just said ‘ no’ and put down the phone.

‘Private landlords want six months’ rent in advance before they will even consider us. I am hoping we can reach our target and that will give us a chance to at least try to get our own place.

‘I just want to get some stability and normality for my family.

‘They have been through so much. In Poland we were in hotels for two months and did not have a good experience although all the people were so friendly and helpful.

‘It is the same here. The British people have been so welcoming and the neighbours here all want to help.’

More than £5,000 of the £12,500 target on the crowdfunding page has been reached.

‘The people are being so generous and I just want to thank them,’ said Maxim, who worked in finance in Kyiv.

‘I would love to get a job so that I can fully support my family.’

Neighbours of the refugees said they were shocked to learn about the eviction.

One said:’ The Malsters are a lovely family and have gone out of their way to get a family from Ukraine. It just does not make any sense why they would want them out after a few weeks.

‘They have not talked to anyone about it or given a reason which makes it all the more strange.’

The Malsters were not at their semi-detached home and did not return calls.

A spokesman for a firm of solicitors who issued the eviction notice to the family had no comment.

‘There is no one available to comment,’ said a spokesman for Southampton based Trethowans.

The family has set up a JustGiving page to raise money to pay for some new accommodation. To donate click HERE

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