Ukrainian refugees offered a flat in Glasgow have been stranded in a remote part of Poland for almost three weeks.
Sisters Viktoriia Khrebtova and Olesia Chechotkina and their three children aged two, six and 14, are living in a cramped, two-bedroom flat in Przemysl, near the border with Ukraine, after being plucked from the streets by volunteer Ryszard Szymczycha.
They were forced to flee their home in the war-torn Donbas region as Russian bombing inched closer, leaving behind their mum and 87-year-old gran, who was not fit enough to travel.
Despite first seeking entry to the UK on March 23 – to join their sister, Khrystyna Brown, who lives in the west end of Glasgow with Scottish husband Allan – they are still waiting for their visa applications to be processed.
Estate agent Allan has secured long-term use of a flat in Thornliebank, Glasgow, but it remains empty.
Khrystyna, 33, said: “The last thing they need is to be caught in the middle of a slow, uncaring bureaucracy.
“The helpline doesn’t give any information about their visa status.
“The length of time it is taking to process refugees is too much.”
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