Scots bring Ukrainian orphans across Polish border

The group of children are from orphanages around the Ukrainian city of Dnipro

BBC Dnipro orphans — The group of children are from orphanages around the Ukrainian city of Dnipro

A group of Scots have brought 29 Ukrainian orphans to safety across the Polish border.

The children, aged between six and 17, came from orphanages around Dnipro in southern Ukraine which are managed by the Edinburgh charity Dnipro Kids.

Their coach crossed the border on Thursday evening after taking six hours to get through border control.

Dozens more orphans are expected to follow by train on Friday while others remain in the city.

Ukraine orphans — The moment the bus arrived in Poland

Dnipro Kids was set up by Hibs FC fans after a Uefa Cup match in 2005.

After arriving in Poland, chairman Steven Carr told the BBC the children were tired but glad to be in a safe place.

He said: "It's been a long journey, six hours just to get through border control. We've got some of the kids here into Poland there's another 18 coming on a train tomorrow and there's still some in Dnipro.

"It's just fingers crossed that all the orphanages that we look after manage to get themselves out. We're slowly getting there."

Natasha, a Ukrainian coordinator and translator for the charity, added: "We've been through hard times all of us, we left our homes.

"We're happy to be safe and we thank all the people who care about us and helped us to make this happen."

Bus shortage

The group of orphans have come from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro

Orphans from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro — The group of orphans have come from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro

The charity has been working with Scottish expat Stuart McKenzie to get around 50 more orphans to safety in Poland.

The businessman escaped the war-ravaged country last week and has been helping others get across the Polish border.

Dnipro Kids said efforts to get the children to Poland had been hampered by a shortage of buses and the challenge of packing them on to overcrowded trains.

However, it managed to move the 29 children by train to the Ukrainian city of Lviv earlier on Thursday.

Stuart McKenzie escaped Uraine last week and has been helping others get across the Polish border

Stuart McKenzie escaped Uraine last week and has been helping others get across the Polish border

Mr McKenzie told the BBC: "As soon as these children get over, we have got accommodation and buses and food to look after them."

Mr McKenzie, ex-president of Ukrainian community charity the Kyiv Lions Club, was one of the first to make it out of the country with his family.

He has rented a house in Krakow, Poland, and is trying to help as many people as possible cross the border.

He added: "A lot of my female staff are coming over with their children now and they are having to leave their husbands behind.

"It is heart-breaking to see them on the phone at night with the children and kissing each other goodnight.

"Not knowing if they will see their husband or father next week, next month or never. It's just so sad to see."

Map showing the Russian military advance into Ukraine from the east. Updated 8 March

Mr McKenzie said he would like to return to Ukraine, where he has lived for 30 years, but said he had to consider short-term plans.

For the moment he is not trying to get a visa to bring his wife, their children and her mother to the UK.

"I'm not trying for a visa just now. I know there are problems with it so I am not going to take my housebound mother-in-law to Calais and back and forward to places just now. "

He said his priority for now was to get as many people as possible across the border.