Ukraine-Russia: Scotland's tradition of 'welcoming those fleeing danger' will continue - Alister Jack

The terrible atrocities enacted on the people of Ukraine have horrified us all. The contrast between the evil and cowardly acts of Vladimir Putin and the heroism of the innocent men, women and children under attack could not be starker.

The resilience and defiance shown by the Ukrainian people against brutal Russian aggressors shows courage beyond description.

As this terrible European tragedy unfolds, the UK government is determined to do everything we can to support those caught up in Putin’s barbaric and indiscriminate invasion.

Last week I was in the Nordic countries meeting ministers from Norway and Finland, two countries in close proximity to Russia. I was impressed by the solidarity the Norwegians and Finns are showing with Ukraine. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them and all the other countries appalled at the events of the last few days.

People cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, during heavy shelling and bombing on March 5, 2022, 10 days after Russia launched a military in vasion on Ukraine. (Photo by Aris Messinis / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

In the UK, we are opening our doors to those fleeing Russian violence, creating a haven for potentially hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. As the Prime Minister announced last week, we have made it easier for Ukrainians already living here to bring their extended family to the United Kingdom. This could result in more than 200,000 people coming to the UK - there is no limit.

In Scotland we have a long and proud history of welcoming those fleeing danger and that tradition will continue.

Furthermore, for Ukrainians without UK family ties, we are developing a sponsorship scheme whereby people, communities and businesses can bring families to the UK. Again, there is no numbers limit on the scheme. We have also boosted staff in neighbouring countries to help Ukrainians get UK visas quickly.

On all these measures we are working closely with the UK’s devolved administrations – including the Scottish Government – making sure we work together to help those who have fallen foul of this dreadful crisis.

Scotland Secretary Alister Jack. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images)

We are also working exceptionally hard to make sure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, with supplies worth £220 million destined for Ukraine.

And it was particularly heartening to see the first NHS Scotland medical supplies leave our shores on Thursday as part of a UK Government shipment from Stansted to Poland.

The UK military is also heavily involved in the humanitarian effort, with logistics staff deployed in the region and 1,000 troops on stand-by in neighbouring countries to help the response.

Further, UK support in the form of military equipment, including 2,000 anti-tank missiles, has been despatched to Ukraine. We have also trained tens of thousands of the Ukrainian troops who are defending their country so valiantly.

And it is worth noting that UK military support for Ukraine is long-standing, dating from Ukraine’s independence in 1991 when we helped with defence reform, planning and capacity building. More recently, we answered calls for help when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014.

In 2015, we initiated Operation Orbital, an important military training programme that eventually expanded to 100 UK forces personnel, and took the lead in a multinational maritime training scheme and a naval capabilities enhancement programme.

And as Putin's forces amassed on Ukraine's borders, we agreed to supply body armour, helmets and combat boots to Kyiv. That was when the RAF flew in 2,000 state-of-the-art, shoulder-launched weapons capable of devastating Russian tanks.

We are also unleashing the economic weapons in our armoury while working hard to minimise the impact on our own economy. In concert with our allies we are introducing the largest and most severe economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced.

They include starving Russia of its access to finance - with asset freezes on major banks, a prohibition on clearing, and the removal of selected banks from SWIFT – the messaging service used to exchange financial data.

We will go after Putin’s corrupt cronies, targeting key businesses directly and cutting them off from the international community. Law enforcement agencies will redouble their efforts to tackle corrupt oligarchs and unlawful overseas elites.

Working with our EU allies, Russian aircraft are to be prevented from flying or landing in the UK and their vessels will be banned from our ports. Last week, for example, the UK government intervened to prevent a Russian-owned oil tanker docking in Orkney.

These actions are already having a devastating effect on the Russian economy, with the Rouble plunging to record lows and its Central Bank in chaos.

Russian has been made an international pariah and will face unrelenting pressure from us and our friends in the international community. Putin should be warned that the UK government is in this for the long haul.

We will support Ukrainian spirit over Russian savagery, and doing so we will ensure that Putin’s immoral and abhorrent venture ends in failure.

Alister Jack is Secretary of State for Scotland and MP for Dumfries and Galloway