Ukraine war: Flight bringing 50 Ukrainian orphans to Scotland hit by delay
The youngsters, who are currently in Lviv, are hoping to fly to London from Poland this week before heading to Scotland.
Monday 21 March 2022 17:02, UK
Dozens of Ukrainian orphans who were due to fly to the UK on Monday are stuck in Poland after an important piece of paperwork was not completed on time.
The youngsters, who range in age between two and 19, and their carers, are due to travel to London before making their way up to Scotland.
They are being cared for by a Scottish charity, Dnipro Kids, which was set up by the supporters of Edinburgh-based football club Hibernian in 2005.
It has emerged, however, that a form required to release the group, which should have been sent from the Ukrainian government to Poland's family and social policy ministry, has been delayed.
They are not now expected to travel before Wednesday, and are waiting in a hotel.
Project Light, the operation to transport the children to the UK, said they are "safe and well".
Ian Blackford, the SNP's leader at Westminster, said there had been a "race against time" to get the paperwork completed.
He commented: "For the time being, it means that nothing is going to happen today.
"I think the key thing is that a lot of people will determine everything is done to support the orphans that are currently in Poland.
"That has always been the first and last concern of all of this, so we'll continue to work with everybody to make sure that arrangements can be put in place to give the children that sanctuary in Scotland."
Home Secretary Priti Patel announced on Thursday that the youngsters would be allowed to enter the UK.
Regarding the delay, a Home Office spokesperson said: "It is right that we only move these children once we have the full, written agreement of their home and host governments.
"The home secretary and her counterparts in the Ukrainian, Polish and Scottish governments are united in their determination to ensure these children get the support and care they need."
Key developments:
• Kremlin: There needs to be significant progress on talks for Putin to meet ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y face-to-face
• Biden will travel to Poland this week to discuss "humanitarian and human rights crisis"
• Ukraine's nuclear regulatory agency says radiation monitors around Chernobyl have stopped working
• Ammonia leak at a chemical plant on the outskirts of the eastern city of Sumy now contained
• 10,200 visas have been issued under the Ukraine Family Scheme, says the Home Office
Dnipro Kids 'determined to help' orphans
Steven Carr, the chairman of Dnipro Kids, led the effort to help evacuate the orphans from Lviv in western Ukraine after Russia invaded the country last month.
He said they were "just thankful and relieved" that an operation had been organised.
He added: "We've known these children and their carers for many years, and when they said they wanted to get out, we were determined to help.
"The assistance we have had from the other charities and organisations has been very important to us, and we wanted to place our thanks to them on the record."
The children will be given a welcome meal at Hibernian's Easter Road stadium before heading to Stirlingshire.
"We hope we can let them get on with life," Mr Carr said.
'Source of great pride'
Mr Blackford, who raised the issue of the orphans in the House of Commons, praised Dnipro Kids for the "extraordinary and uplifting story".
He said: "As a Hibs fan myself, this has been a source of great pride and I was delighted and privileged to help."
He also hopes "many more displaced children will also be able to find sanctuary in Scotland and the UK".
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