Her family was deported from China by the Japanese. They settled in Kharkiv in 1933, where Olena finished high school. Olena's mother died soon after and her father was suppressed in 1939 by false accusations.
Olena's family experienced displacement from China by the Japanese, which led them to settle in Kharkiv in 1933, where she completed her education. Following her mother's death, Olena's father faced unjust treatment in 1939 due to unfounded allegations.