A dad-of-two who is stuck in Warsaw has appealed to people in the north-east to help his family get back on their feet.
Ken Stewart plans to fly straight to his mum’s house near Inverurie after his wife Tanya finally gets her visa approved.
He hopes to be able to adapt his IT business for the UK market, but is appealing to people to get in touch if they can help him.
Mr Stewart, who has lived in Ukraine for 15 years, has been sharing their struggle on his Twitter page. Paperwork delays meant Mrs Stewart – who gave birth to son Douglas via C-section just three weeks ago – was not granted a visa before the conflict broke out, leaving them trapped in Bucha, near Kyiv.
The couple and their children, Waryna, three, and baby Douglas, have now managed to drive to Warsaw, but Mrs Stewart – who is originally from Irpin – is still battling to get her visa sorted.
Mr Stewart tonight said the UK Government needs to have more compassion.
So this little guy (Douglas) is three weeks old, and tomorrow his mum will try to get her visa for the UK. We are in Warsaw. nonstop – looking after the little ones, trying to get this visa sorted. UK gov still heartless. #homeoffice #UkraineUnderAttaсk #IStandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/phxj1aqV3T
— Ken Stewart (@KenboStewart) March 1, 2022
Family spent 36 hours at border control
It took the family more than two days to drive the 10 hour journey to Warsaw due to a 36-hour wait at the Polish border.
Mr Stewart, whose brother is the chief executive of Aberdeen-based firm Faroe Petroleum, said: “It is the same hotel where we can get the visa procession place.
“My brother, Graham has done everything he can to help us. He booked us a hotel that was one minute from our room to the visa processing place.
“Graham has been on the hotline to the UK Government for us.
“Tanya has gone down and filled in the forms yesterday morning. There were no concessions for her. We followed the procedure as we need the visa. It took three hours, they said it would take 15 minutes.”
Here is evidence of the orderly way in which Ukrainians sat in line for over 30 hours just to get near (not across yet) the Polish border. That line stretches back over 5 miles and forward about 1.5 miles.#UkraineInvasion #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/lZJKtzUUSz
— Ken Stewart (@KenboStewart) February 28, 2022
Mr Stewart explained that the visa system is being run by a third-party organisation for the UK Government.
“We are a bit worried that we are getting nowhere,” he said. “There have been a lot of hold ups. And to be honest, the system is very heartless.
‘Horrific attack on our country’
“The British Government needs to be more compassionate. We are escaping an unprecedented attack unknown in modern times.
“It is a horrific attack on our country, one without any reasoning.”
The family is now waiting anxiously for a decision on the visa, but expect it will take longer than the estimated 24 hours.
Both children have been granted British citizenship.
“Tanya is eligible [for a visa], but things are never easy,” Mr Stewart said.
“The rest of Europe is welcoming people and the UK is so closed. They are treating refugees with contempt. The government needs to remember we are escaping war.
“Ukraine has been my home for 15 years. We have been watching it being taken apart by Russian artillery, cruise missiles and bombs.
“We have left a lot of people behind, including my wife’s family. I feel extremely guilty about leaving people there.
“I know I won’t regret it, but I feel guilty all the same.”
Can you help the family move forward?
As soon as the visa has been approved, the family will fly to Aberdeen and initially stay with Mr Stewart’s mum near Inverurie.
He is already considering how to made his IT training business, Future Perfect, work in the UK as all his clients were previously in Ukraine.
Mr Stewart appealed to anyone who can help him create a new website so he can build up a new client base.
He said: “If anyone can help me build an online presence for a business in the UK I would be so grateful. If anyone from Aberdeenshire could help me, it would get things started. I have a family and two kids so I need to work.
“We have some money, so we are not destitute, but we left Ukraine with very little.”
Contact Mr Stewart on Twitter @kenbostewart