The UK government has introduced a three-year visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, with the Home Office expecting to process 6,000 applications per week and no cap on overall numbers. The scheme, which initially offered a 12-month stay for those with family connections, has been extended to three years and widened to include more Ukrainians.
Home Secretary Priti Patel visited Medyka in Poland, near the Ukrainian border, to meet families who will be among the first to apply. She condemned Russia's 'cold-blooded' war and described meeting women and children forced from their homeland as 'heart-breaking'.
The Daily Mail's appeal for refugees has raised over £3.5 million in less than a week, with funds already used to support mothers and children arriving in Slovakia. Donations have come from readers, accompanied by letters recalling the horrors of the Second World War.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainian cities, with evidence of war crimes mounting. Scotland Yard officers are working with the International Criminal Court on an inquiry into President Putin's conduct. At least three senior Russian commanders have been killed, and Russian forces shelled Europe's largest nuclear power plant, causing a fire.
Ukrainian President Zelensky addressed protesters in European cities, stating: 'If we fall, you will fall... if we win, this will be the victory of the whole democratic world.'
