After February 2022
The number of Ukrainians in the United Kingdom increased significantly after the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The British Government introduced schemes aimed at simplifying the movement of refugees from the war in Ukraine to the UK, and by July 2024 about 210,000 individuals, mainly women and children, had already arrived in the country.
The Russian invasion also had a major impact on the activities of the various Ukrainian institutions and Churches in the UK which were active prior to 2022, including the Embassy and consulates of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Catholic Church (UCC) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), the Association of Ukrainian Women, the Ukrainian Youth Association, the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organisation, the Ukrainian Institute London, the Association of Ukrainian Teachers, the Ukrainian Medical Association, and aid organisations such as Ukraine Charity and British-Ukrainian Aid. These institutions became heavily involved in fund-raising, organising the delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, providing support for displaced persons from Ukraine arriving in the UK, organising rallies in various towns and cities, and disseminating information on the situation in Ukraine.
A leading role was played by the AUGB, often in close cooperation with the British Government. The AUGB and the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London jointly established the Ukrainian Welcome Centre, which provides newly-arrived Ukrainians with assistance, information relating to temporary residence in the UK, and other services. The Ukrainian Institute London expanded its activities aimed at enhancing public understanding of events in Ukraine and meeting the growing demand for Ukrainian language learning. Branches of the AUGB and other organisations all around the country launched various initiatives, often in conjunction with local members of the British public.
The arrival of temporarily displaced persons from Ukraine led to increases in the congregations of the UCC and the UAOC, and new parishes were formed in various locations. Similarly, the membership of the AUGB and other community organisations increased and new branches of these organisations were formed. The number of children attending Ukrainian supplementary schools grew significantly and new schools were established. In various towns and cities the newly-arrived Ukrainians formed their own self-support groups. The achievements of several prominent members of the community were recognised in the King’s 2023 and 2024 Birthday Honours Lists and the King’s 2024 New Year Honours List.
For the time being, detailed coverage of the history of Ukrainians in the UK after February 2022 lies outside the scope of this website. However, information on the present-day Ukrainian community can be obtained from the websites of various organisations.
Bibliography
The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. Briefing: Ukraine migration to the UK (December 2024)
Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain. Annual Reports 2002, 2003
Ukrainian Institute London. Annual Reports 2021-2022, 2022-2023
Ukraine Charity. Annual Report 2022-2023
British-Ukrainian Aid. Annual Reports 2002, 2003