An Edinburgh dad forced to flee his home in Ukraine with his young son after an air base just a few miles away was attacked by Russian forces has safely crossed the border into Poland.
Ken Stewart says he is now desperate to get wife Tania, daughter Yaryna and two-week old Douglas to Scotland after racing from their house 40 miles outside Kyiv amid the Kremlin’s invasion of the country.
The 54-year-old spent almost two days queuing with thousands of others desperate to escape fighting after taking the heart wrenching decision to leave many of Tania’s relatives behind.
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They now face a long wait for her visa application to be decided and remain stranded in Poland until that call is made in the UK.
And Ken admitted he has no idea what the immediate future holds for his young family.
He told the Daily Record: "We are the lucky ones.
"Spare a thought for those thousands who are still in that queue, and many other lines from Moldova to Poland.
"I didn't see anyone lose it, no fights, no selfishness but a sense of all being in it together."
He added: "Ukrainians are an example for the world to follow.
"I imagine you have all worked that out by now.
"They appear to be built differently from the rest of us.
"Yara, our three year old, should be a model for children everywhere.
"She kept a smile on her face almost the whole time and never really complained. Clearly takes after her mother."
The couple had already begun the process to get a British visa for Tanya.
But they had been offered an appointment at the British Embassy in Kiev on Friday - the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack across Ukraine.
Although, as the spouse of a British citizen, she is entitled to a visa, the family does not know how easy, or quick, the process will be.
Ken added: "Today, we are torn between relief for getting our children to safety and guilt for leaving so many behind.
"Sometimes you have to make difficult decisions.
"Our children drove those decisions. Completely."
He added: "We have left behind in-laws - Tanya's parents, brother, his wife and their 10 year old son.
"Leaving him there hurts but they wanted to stay together.
"They now spend their days in a bomb shelter in the basement of a kindergarten in our village.
"Shelling and bombing in the surrounding area keeps them there.
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"What keeps our hopes up is the fact that the Russians have met their match, more than their match in the Ukrainians.
"They will not give up the country without a mighty fight.
"They are literally fighting for the survival of their country."
Ken said the family was getting settled in a hotel, where they were having hot showers after the arduous journey.
He added: "Then we will get down to the business of getting Tanya a visa for UK. As if we don't have enough to worry about.
"My wife is Ukrainian and I'm a UK citizen - both children have UK citizenship.
"But the UK government absolutely refuses to make the process easier for my wife to get a visa.
The Scottish Government has urged the Home Office to lift visa requirements for all Ukrainians seeking entry to the UK.
It is understood the UK is currently reviewing its Ukrainian refugee scheme.
