Ukraine

AN ARTICLE BY MIKE

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We liked Warsaw. It shows itself as a modern wealthy city with a brilliant road system and an extensive punctual public transport beyond anything we could dream of here in the UK. The Polish people were helpful, friendly and had a brilliant sense of humour. All we had contact with spoke English and were happy to do so. We also saw how committed they were to helping their Ukrainian neighbours. Free public transport was offered to travel anywhere throughout the country, even taxis. There were many more financial exemptions made available, too many to mention here. Basically complete support for those who crossed the border with nothing more than a rucksack or small suitcase in most cases. Refugees were offering to pay but were declined and it was humbling to witness. The organisation was also impressive. We went to the main rail station to collect nephew when he arrived from Krackov where he stayed until we arrived. Trains were arriving and the refugees were pouring off by the hundred, female family members, old grannies and young women with small babies and children all looking apprehensive, lost, confused and exhausted. There were many volunteers in yellow bibs such as students without lectures that day or people who had a day or two off work just willing to help guide them to the concourse outside and then to direct them to refuge centres if necessary in taxis, mini buses and public transport. The empathy and compassion very evident. It literally brought tears to my eyes having never been there on the ground to see it in its stark reality. It’s just not the same as watching a news report in the comfort of your own lounge, it’s genuinely distressing.

So we stayed in the same large hotel that was hosting the UK Visa section. A wise move as it turned out. The hotel had given over two large conference rooms to them. The hotel was brilliant in their role as well by  hosting the refugees and having them, to be honest, disrupting their normal business by milling around and taking seats everywhere in the bars and the restaurants while they were waiting to be processed or for their eventually issued Visas. However nobody minded. I want to say here that at no time during the seven days did I see or hear raised voices, arguments or scuffles of any kind from any person. We arrived on the Wed16th having submitted an application on line for the ‘Ukraine Family Member Visa’ on the 4th March along with all relevant paperwork which was extensive. This was described as a fast track scheme. We had an appointment on the Thurs17th to do biometrics involving photo and fingerprints after which a physical Visa would be attached to his passport. We were not prepared to see a couple of hundred people being serviced by just six immigration officers behind a small crescent shaped desk. More about them later.

At about 9pm things had calmed down and we approached the desk to ask how the system worked. Immigration Officer Chris told us the application method had changed to speed up the process and biometrics no longer needed to be done. Nat had an attachment of nephews passport on her phone and Chris uploaded it onto the Visa site and said we would receive an official email letter on the phone between 24 and 48 hours which would be sufficient for us to travel to the UK and then he would do biometrics at a later date in the UK. If not after 48 hours come back to him. Inevitably we returned after 48 hours now Friday 18th and he said he spoke to the British Embassy who were authorising and issuing the visas on the other side of the city to “kick someone’s arse and you will have it the next morning”. That same evening he returned to the UK. Next morning Sat 19th Immigration Officer Sarah chased it up again and returned saying they could not get the passport photo to print making the visa invalid. But we said we were waiting for an email to travel and not a visa as we had not done biometrics. “Leave it with me and come back in the morning” she said. Running out of clean clothes we went to the city centre for some essential shopping therapy and an enjoyable day out.

Its now morning Sun20th and we are now told that it was authorised the previous day and its in the queue for printing. Nothing came by Monday morning and we were panicking having already extended our hotel for an extra night and booking a flight home on Tuesday afternoon. Back to Sarah who phoned the Embassy and explained the situation to them. They then said they would send us an email for travel. It arrived 10 mins later. That could have been done Saturday morning and we could have flown back on Sunday instead of Tuesday.

About the Immigration Officers. All six, yes six of them volunteered to go as part of their duties and man the initial reception desk. I have not a bad word to say about them and their heroic efforts. Sent out to Warsaw armed only with six laptops and a couple of company cellphones. Two translators were hired to help. They had no idea what would face them. They were not issued with even pens or stationery and had to send out and purchase themselves. They were helping literally hundreds of people wanting UK Visas every day and I really do mean every day. Every question, however small or unimportant, they answered with patience and a smile. It was that hectic that even Natalie joined in to help them with translation a few hours every day. Those guys worked after a breakfast from 6.30am to 10.30pm everyday, Saturday and Sunday too. Not stopping for a break even once during the day just surviving on crisps, biscuits and coffee until their evening meal and the hotel kitchens stayed open especially for them. After seven days on duty they were replaced by new recruits. By the time their duty was over you could see they were absolutely exhausted both mentally and physically. They didn’t just sit behind their desks all day, they were in and around the refugees chasing down people in the throng for more information or giving out good news. No thought was given by anyone to Covid and mask wearing was intermittent at best. That was a distant memory.

These heroes were not helped by an apathy which emanated from their colleagues at the Embassy and in the UK. Comfortably sat behind their computer screens they had no idea what was going on and should have done. I would have frogmarched the bastards down there to see why they had to pull their fingers out of their arses. Nobody once came over from the Embassy to see the mayhem and any Visas arrived by courier and even then these heroes had to stick them in the passports themselves on top of everything else. A complete and utter incompetence, lack of organisation, leadership and apathy which we have all experienced at the hands of the UK Civil Service at sometime in our lives. This was a time to step up and surprise surprise, they have failed miserably.

Listening to the stories after speaking to some of the refugees who had lost their homes and belongings they had worked so hard for  (life in Ukraine was never a bunch of roses for many before the war anyway) I can’t see how they are going to be able to return any time soon.

How will this war end? I can only imagine a compromise will be reached whereby Ukraine gives up some of their land and becomes a Neutral country so that Putin doesn’t lose face and his power. After the 1917 revolution Lenin decided after some resistance Ukraine was brought under Russian rule. They rebuilt and then Stalin imposed the Holodomor starvation genocide on them and starved 3.2 million of the population. They rebuilt and now Putin has waged war on them. The Ukrainians are a resilient people and this time they have had enough of the Russians imposing on their freedom and I’m sure if they had the weapons they needed sooner they would have driven the Russians right out of the country. However things are how they are and we can only wish them well and when the dust has settled support them to rebuild once more.