A group of 50 orphans fleeing the Ukraine war are in limbo waiting to hear if they can enter the UK. The children, aged from six to 17, left on March 8 from five orphanages in Dnipro. Despite having flights to Stansted Airport booked for Monday, March 21, and adult supervision arranged, they are in the dark about whether they will be able to go. The children are currently staying at a hotel in Znin, northern Poland.
Charity Dnipro Kids Appeal has arranged accommodation for them in Scotland once they arrive in the UK, but the Home Office has so far stalled on issuing visas to the children, none of whom have passports. The government said it must first investigate safeguarding issues. The charity's media manager, journalist Duncan MacRae, travelled out to Poland on March 16. The 41-year-old got involved in the appeal through his football club, Hibernian FC, and is hopeful the orphans will be able to fly out next week with their chaperones.
He said: "We have been supporting six orphanages and have been able to evacuate three of them. Some of the other children have not been able to evacuate – some of the children are too unwell to be moved. We are delighted to have got some of them out. The flights are organised but the paperwork hasn't been finalised.
