Teen’s open letter to the PM begging for his help
ATEENAGE girl trapped in Ukraine has written an emotional letter to Boris Johnson asking for his help, amid claims that her efforts to come to the UK have been thwarted by British Government red tape.
Viktoria Koval, 17, who lives near Kyiv, has been offered a home with a family friend and church minister in Devon.
The law student stayed with Rev Jenny Kilgour at her home near Exeter on language exchange visits and Rev Kilgour now wants to offerviktoria a safe haven.
The youngster has spent months chasing all the relevant paperwork. But even though she has the written consent of her mother and father – who are unable to come with her –Viktoria is barred from the Homes for Ukraine scheme because she is not 18 and would not be coming here to reunite with a parent or legal guardian.
In desperation,viktoria wrote her letter to the PM, telling him: “Being in danger has become normal but I still feel frightened every time the sirens sound knowing that explosions will follow.
“When the missiles struck near my city on 4th March my parents made the really difficult decision to send me to a safer place. I have visited the UK before and stayed with a family in Cullompton, Devon, and we became close.they are like my family. But trying to get to safety has been blocked at every turn.”
She pleads: “We know from our history lessons how the UK helped so many refugees escape on the kinder transport duringworldwar II and many thousands of children under 17 were allowed into the UK. Many would not have survived the war if it had not been for the generosity of the people of the UK.”
The letter concludes: “I am so very sad. I just want to feel safe. Please help me and others like me.”
Last week Clive Betts, who chairs the Westminster Levelling Up committee which scrutinises how the UK is supporting Ukrainian refugees, said he hoped the Home Office will help people such asviktoria who are in “dire circumstances” but have “a loving home to come to”.
He said: “If something is going to go wrong, the Home Office is probably behind it. Even we struggle to get through to them.”
A UK Government spokesman told the Sunday Express: “Due to safeguarding concerns, unaccompanied minors are only eligible under the Homes for Ukraine scheme if they are reuniting with a parent or legal guardian in the UK. There are no plans to make those trying to sponsor unaccompanied children
‘guardians’.”
My name is Viktoria Koval. I
am 17 years and 4 months old south west Ukraine with my and I live in Vinnytsia in
parents and older brother Bohdan. My life and that of every other Ukraine. Ukrainian changed on February
Dad told me to collect the 24 when Russia attacked That most important things and take
morning, I heard for the first them to our basement. sound time the shrill noise of air raid of missiles exploding on the sirens outskirts of my followed by the
town. These are sounds all Ukrainians have come to know and dread
for the past 11 weeks. The sirens day. When we hear them we go off once or twice every
make our way to the basement knowing where the missiles until the all-clear will land or what will sounds, not
have been destroyed when we
The sound of bombs and explosions emerge. mats in are terrifying and it is hard to the basement but there is no sleep on our sleeping
other option. Sometimes I disconnect from
school which is now online. I was studying law. I cannot see cannot go to university
my friends. I cannot live where in a normal life like other teenagers. Being danger has become
normal but I still feel frightened knowing that explosions will every time
follow. the sirens sound When the missiles struck near
my city on March 4 my parents decision to send me to a safer made the really difficult in place. I have visited the UK before
Cullompton, Devon, and we became and stayed with a family safety has close. They are like my family.
been blocked at every turn. But trying to get to I first applied for a UK visitor’s
visa on 6th March. I had to go centre in Moldova – an 8-hour to the visa application
round trip – for an appointment
March. At that point I was told for biometric checks on 17
a visitor’s visa would be very
On 18 March the Homes for delayed because of the war.
Ukraine sponsorship scheme
This involved filling in 20 pages came online. I applied that day. family’s of my documents and almost documents. This took at as many again of the English
least three hours. I got notified received on 19 March. Since the then we have application was
heard nothing. I know the family with has written to 65 of your we MPS, contacted many are staying
charities and even lawyers. They been told it is because I am too have
young to travel alone. I have why I am unable to flee from had no
this war to the official letter to say understand why. loving family that I know and
love. I cannot Mr Johnson, we are all very grateful
for the support you and your giving to Ukraine to help us Government
defend ourselves. We are are the UK who have made also grateful to all the people
collections to help our people, in everything. especially those who have lost Here in Vinnytsia we have refugees
who come from the east of our find shelter and safety. We try country to make a place to try and
for them to feel safe but we look in their eyes and know see the haunted
that they are reliving the terrible heard. things they have seen and Last week (Thursday) the beautiful city and port of Odesa was struck
by many Russian missiles and there will
be even more refugees who need somewhere to live. to find I understand there will be
many people who will want to from Ukraine and that it takes go to the UK
a long time for so many visa to be processed so that everyone applications
will be kept safe especially if me, are not yet 18. It was exactly they, like made 77 days ago today (Sunday) that
my first application to come to I others safety in the UK. I know under 18 who are having the there are
same trouble. We know from our history lessons
how the UK helped so many refugees escape on the kinder
transport during World War II thousands of children under and many
17 were allowed into the UK. not have survived the war if Many it had not would
been for the generosity of the people of the UK. Mr Johnson, all Ukrainians know
of the help you are giving to country and I know there will our
be many other young people families want them to come to whose
the UK until it is safe for us return. It is very hard for families
all to a war, to be separated, especially during
because we do not know how be peace long it will take
again. before there will I am so very sad. I just want
to feel safe. Please help me and like me. others