UK begins sending back Ukrainians
(MENAFN) The UK has started denying asylum requests from Ukrainians, claiming that applicants can safely relocate to other areas within Ukraine, the Guardian reports. A London legal firm said it regularly receives inquiries from Ukrainians whose rejection letters often state they don’t meet the persecution criteria under the Refugee Convention, as they are considered able to move to safer parts of the country.
These refusal letters also point to available public services in Ukraine and recommend seeking support from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and local aid groups. The increase in denials is linked to January updates to the UK Home Office guidelines, which classify cities like Kiev and western Ukraine as “generally safe.”
In the UK, refugee status grants five years of residency, including access to work, benefits, healthcare, housing, and family reunification. Temporary visas are also offered through the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family schemes, permitting stays up to 18 months. Over 270,000 visas had been issued as of March 2025.
A Home Office spokesperson told the Guardian that since the conflict’s escalation in February 2022, the UK has granted sanctuary to more than 300,000 Ukrainians, with asylum claims assessed individually. The Homes for Ukraine program remains active.
Millions of Ukrainians have fled since the war began. Eurostat reports around 4.3 million have temporary protection in the EU as of March 2025, while Russia said 5.5 million Ukrainians arrived by the end of 2023. The exodus is fueled not only by ongoing hostilities but also by aggressive conscription efforts, which have led to violent clashes and prosecutions of draft evaders.
Meanwhile, London has pledged billions in military aid to Ukraine since 2022. Moscow has accused the UK and Western allies of using Ukraine as a “battering ram” against Russia and continuing the conflict “until the last Ukrainian.”
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