Russia's war against Ukraine has left Bradford's Ukrainian community struggling to cope as families face continued delays for visa approval. 

"People are struggling at work, really struggling at school, because they're struggling to concentrate," Ewhen Chymera, club director for Bradford Ukrainian Club, said.

Horrific events continue to unfold in Ukraine with US officials pointing to further signs that Russia’s military is gearing up for a major offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

With their offensive in many parts of the country thwarted, Russian forces have relied increasingly on bombarding cities, a strategy that has flattened many urban areas and killed thousands of people.

The latest figures from the Government, published on April 6, show 26 Ukrainian refugees will relocate to Bradford under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

The scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor - but Bradford Ukrainian Club fears it has taken far too long to approve such visas.

Mr Chymera told The Telegraph & Argus: "That's a really low number compared to what we were expecting to be arriving [in Bradford].

"I know from a personal perspective with people that we are trying to help that the paperwork and demands are nothing short of scandalous.

"They are being asked to fill an extremely long document and some of the questions are just ridiculous. There's no translations on this form that the refugees have to fill out; then they have to provide stuff like a utility bill which is quite hard for a refugee to go back to their bombed out property.

"I think for the Ukrainian community here in Bradford, we're preparing to support them in any way we can."

The club director added: "I believe the British Government has a closed borders policy on this one. You look at what the Polish are doing, effectively it's an open border policy, get them to safety and then work it out. We're treating them like they've got to prove they can come to this country. 

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Signs of support for Ukraine in Poznan, Poland, which translates to 'Everyone has something to give others'. Photo via Natasha Meek.Signs of support for Ukraine in Poznan, Poland, which translates to 'Everyone has something to give others'. Photo via Natasha Meek.

"It's all nice sound bites but very little on the ground. Hopefully we'll start seeing these Ukrainians arrive. It's taken far too long. 

"We're grateful for the support of the UK Government but it feels like it could have been done better."

In West Yorkshire, Leeds will house the highest number of Ukrainian nationals under the Homes for Ukraine scheme (66), followed by Kirklees (36), Bradford and Wakefield (19).

The visa delays fall against the backdrop of a reported massacre in the town of Bucha, outside Kyiv, airstrikes on hospitals and a missile attack that killed at least 57 people at a train station.

Meanwhile Mariupol's mayor Vadym Boychenko has warned that corpses are now "carpeted through the streets" with the city's death toll alone expected to surpass 20,000.

Visas have been issued to local authorities based on the postcode of the sponsor’s address, or of the accommodation address if the applicant is not staying with the sponsor.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bradford host Tony Walker, Maxim Artemovich, 15, Natalia Vasylivna, 37, Anastasia Artemovna, 11, Irina Yaroslavivna, 34. Bradford host Tony Walker, Maxim Artemovich, 15, Natalia Vasylivna, 37, Anastasia Artemovna, 11, Irina Yaroslavivna, 34.

The figures show Buckinghamshire is set to take in the highest number of refugees nationally (151), followed by Barnet (132) and Edinburgh (116). 

Bradford's Ukrainian community is not the only group to criticise the Government with crossbench peer and Homes for Ukraine sponsor Baroness Finlay of Llandaff describing the scheme as “unwelcoming”.

As of April 5, 10,800 people had arrived under the Ukraine family scheme but only 1,200 had made it to the UK as part of the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme.

Home Secretary Priti Patel denied visa requirements and checks are slowing the process and causing delays.

The UK will “absolutely see changes in numbers", Ms Patel insisted, as work continues.

In the most recent Government update, 43,600 applications had been submitted under the sponsorship scheme, with around 12,500 visas issued.

Responding to criticism, a Government spokesperson said: “We continue to process visas for the Homes for Ukraine scheme as quickly as possible, but accept progress has not been quick enough.

“The Home Office has made changes to visa processing – the application form has been streamlined, Ukrainian passport holders can now apply online and do their biometrics checks once in the UK, and greater resource has gone into the system.”

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: "The Bradford district has a long record of welcoming people from all over the world. We are ready to do our bit to help both as part of the family reunion scheme and the government’s sponsorship scheme for Ukrainians coming to the UK.

"We have received information through the Government’s housing portal about the matches and we welcome the generosity of the sponsors to open their homes to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in their time of need.

"All necessary checks such as housing, DBS and safeguarding are being set up by the Council and will be carried out as appropriate. These checks do not affect or delay the issuing of the visa which is issued separately by the Home Office."