AROUND 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Vladimir Putin’s invasion will be able to come to the UK, Priti Patel announced today.
The Home Secretary told MPs that immediate family members of Brits will be able to come even if they do not meet usual visa requirements.
British security officials fear Mad Vlad’s army will start targeting more civilians as their war efforts stutter.
That is only likely to see the numbers of refugees fleeing the conflict soar – with the UN estimating half a million have escaped during the first four days of fighting alone.
Addressing MPs she said: “Where family members of British nationals do not meet the usual eligibility criteria but pass security checks, UK visas and immigration will give them the permission to enter the UK outside the rules for 12 months.”
She said these applications were being priotitised to allow “British nationals and any person settled in the UK, the ability to bring over their immediate to close Ukrainian family members.”
The Home Sec added: “Through this extension alone. Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that an additional 100,000 Ukrainians will be able to seek sanctuary in the UK with access to work and public services.”
Read our Russia – Ukraine live blog for the very latest updates
It comes as…
- Ukraine faces a “crucial 24 hours” as officials from Kyiv and Moscow sit down for high level peace talks
- Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly assisting in the peace process
- UK defence sec Ben Wallace warned Vladimir Putin’s forces could unleash an “indiscriminate and ruthless” bombing campaign
- Russia fears a bank run and civil unrest after crushing Western sanctions were imposed over the weekend
- Heartbreaking scenes show thousands of Ukrainian kids separated from their dads at the border
- And a little girl, 6, wearing unicorn pyjamas was killed in a Russian airstrike as doctors told reporters ‘show this to Putin‘
- Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being hailed as a hero after he went from being a comedian to a war time leader
- Putin has been accused of taking muscle-boosting steroids that may be giving him roid rage
On Sunday Boris Johnson said he wants to “be as generous as we possibly can” to those fleeing the conflict.
He said: “We want to make sure that we have routes for people fleeing disaster, war, persecution in Ukraine to come here.
And he hinted more help would be announced later this week, saying: “We’ll also be partnering up with some of the countries in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine to help bring people over.”
It came as one minister was slammed for telling Ukrainian’s fleeing Putin’s bloodthirsty battalions to come to the UK to pick fruit.
Immigration minister Kevin Foster sparked fury for saying refugees qualify for “seasonal worker scheme.”
In reply to tweet from Labour MP Luke Pollard he said: “Hi Luke, as you are well aware there are a number of routes, not least our seasonal work scheme you will recall from your shadow DEFRA days, which Ukrainians can qualify for, alongside the family route for those with relatives here.”
He later deleted the tweet.
