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https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/11/factsheet-home-office-visa-support-for-ukrainians/

Factsheet: Home Office visa support for Ukrainians

• The Home Office stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people fleeing Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
• The generous Ukraine Family Scheme provides an immediate pathway for people from Ukraine with family already in the UK to come here.
• It is designed to allow as many as people as possible to come to the UK and gives them immediate access to the support they need.
• The Scheme was developed in close consultation with Ukrainian leaders and the diaspora community to ensure our measures respond directly to their needs and asks, and we will continue to work with them to make changes as necessary.
• Ukrainians with valid passports and who are eligible for the Scheme do not need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.
• The Ukraine Extension Scheme, which will go live on 3 May, will give Ukrainians already in the UK on temporary visas, alongside their family members, three years’ leave and full access to work, study and public funds.
• We continue to keep our support under constant review and will adapt and develop the visa routes in place to ensure they keep pace with the rapidly shifting situation in Ukraine.

Eligibility

Family members of British nationals and those settled in the UK are eligible to come to here. This includes:

• Immediate family members (spouses, civil partners, partners, children under 18 and parents of children under 18)
• Grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Adult children
• Aunts and uncles
• Nieces and nephews

Visa requirements

The Ukraine Family Scheme is a fee-free visa route. There are no salary or language tests, but people will need to pass security checks.

How to apply with a valid passport

From Tuesday 15 March, valid Ukraine passport holders do not need to attend in-person Visa Application Centre appointments to submit fingerprints or facial verification when making applications under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Once their application has been considered and the appropriate checks completed, they will receive direct notification that they are eligible for the scheme.

The majority of applications can be completed entirely online without attending a Visa Appointment Centre.

All applicants will still need to complete an online application form . Application forms must be completed for each family member, including one application per child.

Step-by-step guide

• Individual fills in the online application form
• Individual uploads scan of their passport
• Casework teams in the UK do appropriate biographical / security checks
• Individual receives email confirming permission to come to the UK, which they present to the transport carrier as authority to travel
• Border Force officers do any appropriate additional checks (e.g. safe guarding) on arrival and stamp their passport with six months’ leave to enter
• Individual visits a visa centre in the UK to give biometrics which finalises the grant of 36 months’ leave

How to apply without a valid passport

Applicants who hold identity cards and do not have a valid passport will still need to attend a VAC in person and provide their biometric information.

When applicants have completed an online form , they can book an appointment at any Visa Application Centre throughout Europe.

They should then attend their Visa Application Centre appointment, where they be required to submit their biometric information.

Once the visa application has been processed, we will contact applicants.

Applicants should remain in the location where they have submitted their application until they are contacted.

Leave to remain in the UK

• Those joining family in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme and people with temporary visas in the UK who apply to the Ukraine Extension Scheme will be granted leave for three years.
• Valid passport holders who have not attended a VAC will be granted six months leave to enter the UK outside the rules, enabling them to work, study and claim benefits immediately. Once they have submitted biometric data in the UK, they will have their leave extended to three years.

Ukraine Extension Scheme

• The Ukraine Extension Scheme will go live on 3 May and will be open to Ukrainians in the UK on temporary visas, including work, study, or visitor visas, alongside their family members, to apply for three years’ leave to remain in the UK.
• Any Ukrainian whose leave to remain in the UK expired between 1 January 2022 and the Ukraine Extension Scheme coming into effect will still qualify for three years’ leave.
• Ukrainians here as workers (including under the Seasonal Work route)
• Ukrainians here as students and graduates
• Ukrainians here as visitors
• Ukrainians here with leave under the family and private life routes
• Ukrainians here as the dependants of third country nationals in any route
• Ukrainians here with exempt status
• Ukrainians here who have been granted temporary leave to enter or remain outside the rules
• Ukrainians here with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• The non-Ukrainian dependants of Ukrainians in these cohorts, who would be granted leave in line.
• If you want information on the Ukraine Family Scheme, you should call the dedicated Home Office line +44 (0)808 164 8810 – select option 1.  This option is now available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
• If you are a Ukrainian national in the UK and need assistance, please call the dedicated Home Office line  +44 (0)808 164 8810 – select option 1. This option is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
• Further advice can be found at:  Support for family members of British nationals in Ukraine, and Ukrainian nationals in Ukraine and the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Myth buster:

Why don’t you just waive visas.

• We’ve already waived some of the normal requirements under this scheme, in order to help people forced to flee be reunited with their families in the UK as quickly as possible.
• Security and identity checks are a fundamental part of our visa process in order to keep people in this country safe, and this is consistent with our approach to the evacuation of Afghanistan.
• That is vital both to keep British citizens safe, but also to ensure that we are helping those in genuine need – as the Minister set out, we are already seeing people presenting false documents claiming to be Ukrainians.

Can’t you just do biometric checks on the street? Why do you need to go to the VAC?

• We take biometrics in secure VACs for the safety and security of our customers and staff, and to ensure sensitive data captured on our biometrics equipment is secure.

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Security Alert May 17, 2024

Worldwide caution, update may 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

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Ukraine Travel Advisory

Travel advisory may 22, 2023, ukraine - level 4: do not travel.

Do not travel to Ukraine due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Department of State continues to advise that U.S. citizens not travel to Ukraine due to active armed conflict. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

All U.S. citizens should carefully monitor U.S. government notices and local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place. Those choosing to remain in Ukraine should exercise caution due to the potential for military attacks, crime, civil unrest, and consult the Department’s latest security alerts.

The security situation in Ukraine remains unpredictable. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should stay vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the event of mortar, missile, drone, or rocket fire, follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. If you feel your current location is no longer safe, you should carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a different location.

There are continued reports of Russian forces and their proxies singling out U.S. citizens in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine for detention, interrogation, or harassment because of their nationality. U.S. citizens have also been singled out when evacuating by land through Russia-occupied territory or to Russia or Belarus.

U.S. citizens seeking emergency assistance should email [email protected] for assistance. Please review what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas . U.S. citizens may also seek consular services, including requests for repatriation loans, passports, and visa services, at U.S. embassies and consulates in neighboring countries .

On February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian government declared a state of emergency. Each province (oblast) decides on measures to be implemented according to local conditions. Measures could include curfews, restrictions on the freedom of movement, ID verification, and increased security inspections, among other measures. Follow any oblast-specific state of emergency measures.

Many in the international community, including the United States and Ukraine, do not recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea in 2014, nor the September 2022 purported annexation of four other Ukrainian oblasts -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. There is extensive Russian Federation military presence in these areas. There are also abuses against foreigners and the local population by the occupation authorities in these regions, particularly against those who are seen as challenging Russia’s occupation.

Although Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine severely restricts the Embassy’s access and ability to provide services in these areas, the Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv continue to remotely provide certain emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Crimea as well as four other Ukrainian oblasts partially occupied by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – to the extent possible given security conditions.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. aviation operations into, out of, within, or over Ukraine. For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the FAA’s Prohibitions, Restrictions, and Notices .

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Ukraine.

Travel to High-Risk Areas

If you choose to disregard the Travel Advisory and travel to Ukraine, you should consider taking the following steps:

• Visit our website on Travel to High-Risk areas .
• Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
• Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
• Share important documents, login information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs if you are unable to return as planned to the United States.
• Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them.
• Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
• Develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through high-risk areas. This plan should specify who you would contact first and how they should share the information.
• Enroll your trip in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter .
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist .

If you are currently in Ukraine:

• Read the Department’s country information page on Ukraine.
• Familiarize yourself with information on what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas .
• Have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your contingency plans based on the new information.
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Notices related to your travel.
• Get a COVID vaccine to facilitate your travel.
• Understand the COVID testing and vaccine requirements for all countries that you will transit through to your destination.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Review the Country Security Report for Ukraine.
• Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk areas .

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UK eases travel warning for parts of western Ukraine

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Statement by Communications Director Kirsten Allen on Vice President Harris’s Travel to   Switzerland

Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Lucerne, Switzerland on June 15 to participate in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine. The Vice President will underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principles of the UN Charter. The Vice President will reaffirm support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will join the Vice President in representing the United States at the Summit.

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kremlin trying to 'invoke memory of Cuban missile crisis' after Putin threat

The Kremlin is attempting to invoke historical memories of the Cuban missile crisis by announcing a naval visit to Havana, a leading thinktank has said. This comes after Vladimir Putin warned he could supply weapons to other nations to strike Western countries yesterday.

Friday 7 June 2024 06:50, UK

• Russian vessels to make port in Cuba in 'hopes of invoking memory of missile crisis'
• Biden to discuss $225m package with Zelenskyy in France
• Putin warns Russia could provide long-range weapons to attack West
• Ivor Bennett:  Why is Lavrov in Africa?
• Big picture:  Everything you need to know about the war right now
• Your questions answered: Are there any signs of an underground resistance in Russia?
• Live reporting by Ollie Cooper

Russian naval vessels will making port in Cuba is an attempt to invoke the historical memory of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, according to a leading thinktank. 

The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted the Cuban ministry of the revolutionary armed forces' announcement yesterday that four Russian northern fleet vessels would make an official visit to the port of Havana between 12-17 June. 

ISW said the move was "likely part of a larger effort to invoke the historical memory of the Cuban Missile Crisis as part of Russia's reflexive control campaign to encourage US self-deterrence". 

Reuters separately reported that a senior US official claimed that the Russian vessels may also stop in Venezuela on an unspecified date in Summer 2024.

The Russian ministry of defence stated that Russia’s objective is to ensure a Russian naval presence in "operationally important areas of the far ocean zone."

The vessels include the 'Admiral Gorshkov' frigate, the 'Kazan' nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, the 'Academic Pashin' replenishment oiler, and the 'Nikolai Chiker' rescue tug.

"Russian media noted that the Admiral Gorshkov is carrying Zircon hypersonic missiles, which the Kremlin has touted as capable of carrying a nuclear warhead," ISW said, although the Cubans specifically claimed that none of the vessels were doing so.

"The Kremlin likely hopes that the clear allusion to the Cuban missile crisis and the inclusion of a reportedly nuclear weapons–capable ship will force the West to engage in self-deterrence," it added.

"The Kremlin likely coordinated the announcement of the Russian navy's port calls in Cuba with Putin's threats to provide long-range strike capabilities to unspecified actors for strikes against the West, as both activities can instil fear in the West." 

Joe Biden will meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in France to discuss a $225m (£175m) weapons package on the sidelines of D-Day anniversary events.

It will be their first face-to-face talks since the Ukrainian president visited Washington in December, when the two faced off with Republican opposition to more Ukraine aid. 

The pair will meet again next week at a G7 summit in Italy, as rich nations discuss using Russian assets frozen after the Ukraine invasion to provide $50bn for Ukraine.

Mr Biden yesterday drew a link between the Second World War battle against tyranny and Ukraine's war with Russia, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "dictator".

Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the war in Ukraine. 

We'll be bringing you live updates throughout the day, including a speech from Vladimir Putin later this morning. 

That's it for our live coverage of the war in Ukraine for today.

You can scroll through the blog below to catch up on the day's developments.

By Nicole Johnston, Asia correspondent in Beijing

Putin's St Petersburg summit comes right out of the same playbook as China's President Xi Jinping.

So how do you get a read on China's geo-political thinking? One way is by wading through the dry and detailed pronouncements of its president, that's where the nuggets are.

In 2022, Xi said: "The world today is undergoing major changes, unseen in a century.

"The most important characteristic of the world is chaos and the trend is likely to continue."

In the world according to Xi, the time is right to reorder global governance with China at its pinnacle, where it belongs. His view is that the US anchored world order is breaking down.

Many countries in the global south are on board with China, chaffing at the dominance of the US led international system and ready to countenance a shake-up.

Russia is in lock step with China. 

Both countries need each other. Though Russia needs China more, for trade and diplomatic cover.

In this great power rivalry, the China-Russian axis could draw in other regional disrupters like Iran and North Korea.

If that happens it will be a formidable alliance based on hostility towards the US, sympathy for Russia, a deep fear of subversion and in the case of China, a relentless goal to unify with Taiwan.

Ukraine's main hydropower company says it has initiated proceedings to secure damages for Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka dam and power station a year ago today.

State-run Ukrhydroenergo said it estimates the damage to be around €2.5bn (£2.12bn).

The explosion of the dam on 6 June 2023 - which sent huge amounts of water across swathes of southern Ukraine and left thousands of people without drinking water - was met with global outcry and accusations of a war crime.

"The company's actions aim to compensate for the losses caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant," Ukrhydroenergo said in a statement. 

"The company believes that initiating international arbitration process is the most promising way to compensate for the losses." 

The firm said Vladimir Putin, his government and other authorised bodies had been informed.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska have arrived in Normandy for an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

French President Emmanuel Macron greeted the Ukrainian leader with a hug as he arrived, and the president was applauded as he went to take his place inside the event.

Several other political figures including UK defence minister Grant Shapps embraced Mr Zelenskyy as they greeted him.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president said he was "honoured" to participate in the anniversary event and said he would also take part in "important events and meetings aimed at strengthening our country".

"This event and day serve as a reminder of the courage and determination demonstrated in the pursuit of freedom and democracy," he said.

"Allies defended Europe's freedom then, and Ukrainians do so now. Unity prevailed then, and true unity can prevail today."

Earlier today we reported claims by Russian officials that Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery and fuel depot in Russian border regions.

Rostov regional governor Vasily Golubev said an overnight drone attack struck the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, causing a fire to erupt. 

Meanwhile the governor for Belgorod, a Russian border region which has come under frequent Ukrainian fire during the war, said a drone hit an oil depot and caused an explosion.

No casualties were reported in either attack.

The trial of a US soldier accused of stealing is under way in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok.

Staff Sergeant Gordon Black flew to the city to see his girlfriend last month but was arrested after she accused him of stealing from her, US and Russian officials said.

The 34-year-old, who was on leave at the time, faces up to five years in prison if found guilty.

The US army said the soldier had not been given official clearance to travel to Russia's far east.

According to Russian news agency RIA, Sgt Black will give evidence during the trial and respond to the allegations against him.

He has been cooperating with authorities, the report said.

Following today's court session, Sgt Black's girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, told reporters "it was a simple domestic dispute" during which the soldier "became aggressive and attacked" her.

"He then stole money from my wallet and I didn't give him permission to do it," she said.

Joe Biden has just addressed the crowds at the US national D-Day commemoration in Normandy, alongside French president Emmanuel Macron.

The US president began with a retelling of the devastation and evil unleashed on the world by Hitler and told the stories of some veterans in the audience.

"Every one of them knew the probability of dying was real, but they did it anyway," he said.

Mr Biden prayed that America never forgets the importance of alliances, noting NATO as the "greatest military alliance in the history of the world".

"Isolationism was not the answer 80 years ago, and it is not the answer today," he said.

"We know the dark forces that these heroes fought against 80 years ago, they never fade." 

He added: "The struggle between dictatorship and freedom is unending. Here in Europe we see one stark example. Ukraine has been invaded by a tyrant bent on domination."

Mr Biden continued: "Make no mistake, the autocrats of the world are watching closely.

"To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators, is simply unthinkable. Were we to do that, it means we would be forgetting what happened here on these hallowed beaches.

"History tells us that freedom is not free: If you want to know the price of freedom, come here to Normandy and look."

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• International

D-Day 80th anniversary in Normandy

By Joshua Berlinger, Antoinette Radford, Shania Shelton and Kyle Feldscher, CNN

Our live coverage of the 80th anniversary of D-Day has ended. Read more about D-Day here or scroll through the posts on today's events below.

French President Emmanuel Macron: "Let us be worthy of those who landed here"

From CNN's Joshua Berlinger and Emmanuel Miculita in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron closed the international ceremony marking 80 years since D-Day with a speech honoring the soldiers who fought in the largest seaborne invasion in human history and, as other leaders have done throughout the day, drawing parallels to the current geopolitical unrest — most notably the war in Ukraine.

Perhaps the strongest part of Macron's speech was its end, in which he honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — who was in attendance — and the Ukrainian people's fight against Russia.

"Faced with the return of war to our continent, faced with the questioning of everything they fought for, faced with those who claim to change borders by force or rewrite history, let us be worthy of those who landed here. Your presence here today, Mr. President of Ukraine, says it all,” Macron said, followed by a brief interruption of the roar of a fighter jet flyover.

Europe has not seen the type of ground conflict that is raging in Ukraine since the end of World War II, and this year’s anniversary comes as Russian forces advance on the battlefield – handing Kyiv a series of tactical defeats and poking holes in the already fragile Western alliance opposed to the Kremlin’s war.

"We know that liberty is a fight for every morning," Macron added. "For everyone in this world that lives hoping for liberty, for equality, for fraternity the sixth of June is a day without end, a never-ending dawn."

World War II veteran dies while traveling to France for D-Day anniversary

From CNN’s Dakin Andone

Robert Persichitti, a 102-year-old World War II US Navy veteran, died last week while on his way to France to commemorate  the 80th anniversary of D-Day , according to Honor Flight Rochester, a veterans organization.

Persichitti was a “wonderful, pleasant, humble guy,” who was “easy to talk to,” said Honor Flight Rochester President and CEO Richard Stewart, who told CNN he learned of his friend’s death last Friday.

“We miss him,” said Stewart.

While Persichitti passed away bound for Normandy — where the Allied forces’  landing on June 6, 1944 , laid the foundation for the defeat of Nazi Germany — he served in the Pacific as a radioman aboard the USS Eldorado, Stewart said. His tour of duty included Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Guam, according to Stewart and  the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame , into which Persichitti was inducted in 2020.

Persichitti fell ill last week during a stop in Germany while headed for Normandy, Al DeCarlo, a friend who was traveling with Persichitti, told  CNN affiliate WHAM . Persichitti was airlifted to the hospital and died soon after, DeCarlo said.

“The doctor was with him. He was not alone, he was at peace and he was comfortable,” DeCarlo said. “She put his favorite singer, Frank Sinatra, on her phone and he peacefully left us.”

Persichitti had heart problems in the past, “but for 102, I would say he was in superb health,” Stewart told CNN.

Persichitti was born in a coal mining town outside Pittsburgh, Stewart said, describing his friend's “humble, poor beginnings.” After the war, Persichitti worked as a carpentry teacher in Rochester, New York, according to the Veterans Hall of Fame, and in 1972 received a degree from SUNY Buffalo.

Trump posts tribute on 80th anniversary of D-Day landings in Normandy

From CNN's Kate Sullivan

Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday posted a tribute to the “immortal heroes who landed at Normandy” to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. 

“Today, we honor the immortal heroes who landed at Normandy 80 years ago. The men of D-Day will live forever in history as among the bravest, noblest, and greatest Americans ever to walk the earth. They shed their blood, and thousands gave their lives, in defense of American Freedom. They are in our hearts today and for all time,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

France's Macron awards 3 more people the Legion of Honor

From CNN's Emmanuel Miculita and Joshua Berlinger in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron used the international ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day to award the Legion of Honor, France's highest military or civilian distinction, to three more American veterans: Joseph Miller, Richard Calvin Rung and Arlester Brown.

Earlier in the day, Macron awarded the Legion of Honor to Christian Lamb , a 104-year-old British woman credited with having made the maps for the D-Day landing, and 11 other American veterans.

Testimonials and musical performances are taking place during international ceremony

As the international ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Omaha Beach is underway, testimonials from those who fought in the war are currently being read out.

Along with the testimonials, musical performances are demonstrated in front of attendees.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver an address later during the ceremony.

Austin says "Ukraine matters" in the midst of D-Day ceremonies

From CNN's Shania Shelton

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed Russia's war in Ukraine while participating in D-Day ceremonies, telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that "Ukraine matters."

"I have engaged members of Congress on both sides, in both parties. I have seen throughout strong support for Ukraine, and even though it took a while to get the legislation through, I was confident that that the right thing was going to happen."

He continued, "Because anytime you see that type of support on both sides of the aisle for a cause, Congress will find a way to get things done, which is what they did in this case, because it's the right thing to do."

The international ceremony is underway

From CNN's Josh Berlinger in Paris

The international ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Omaha Beach has begun.

More than 20 heads of state and government and representatives from royal families across Europe are in attendance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at international ceremony to standing ovation

From CNN's Joshua Berlinger in Paris

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at Thursday's international ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day to a standing ovation and a rousing applause.

Zelensky's presence — and Russian leader Vladimir Putin's absence, despite Soviet Russia's key role in winning the war in Europe — is highly symbolic given how the war in Ukraine is casting a shadow over the day's events.

Several world leaders have already used their speeches to cast parallels between Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the aggression of Nazi Germany that sparked World War II.

Watch the moment here:

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Ex-US soldier charged in ‘international crime spree’ extradited from Ukraine, officials say

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A former U.S. soldier has been extradited from Ukraine on years-old charges that he went on an alleged “international crime spree,” including the 2018 killings and robbery of a couple in Florida to fund travel plans to Venezuela to wage military-style raids against its government, federal prosecutors announced Monday.

In a U.S. Department of Justice news release, authorities noted that 34-year-old Craig Austin Lang has faced federal indictments in Florida, North Carolina and Arizona since 2019. The Federal Bureau of Investigation brought Lang from Ukraine to the United States after the European Court of Human Rights rejected his claim challenging extradition, the release said. Lang, a U.S. citizen from Surprise, Arizona, pleaded not guilty in Florida on Monday, according to court documents.

Lang faces a bevy of charges in the three cases. They include using a gun during a deadly violent crime in Florida, and violating the Neutrality Act and conspiring to kill people in a foreign country for his plans in Venezuela, which is a country with whom the U.S. is at peace, the indictment notes.

Several months after the alleged Florida killings, in North Carolina, Lang traded a military smoke grenade, guns and cash to use someone’s identity to apply for a U.S. passport, another indictment claims. And in Arizona, he is charged with showing a U.S. passport to Mexican authorities in September 2018 to try to get a Mexican visa in violation of the passport’s restrictions.

“Lang’s alleged conduct is shocking in its scope and its callous disregard for human life,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

The Associated Press emailed an attorney listed for Lang seeking comment on the charges and extradition.

Meanwhile, several others were indicted alongside Lang in the Florida and North Carolina cases and have already been convicted or pleaded guilty.

The killings in Florida unfolded in April 2018, the year after Lang and another former U.S. Army soldier, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, had met in Ukraine, where they claimed to be part of a volunteer battalion fighting Russian separatists, authorities said. The two were detained in Kenya while trying to enter South Sudan in 2017 and were eventually deported to the U.S., according to an FBI affidavit.

In Florida, a couple in their 50s from Brooksville planned to buy guns that Lang and Zwiefelhofer had listed for sale online, but the two men allegedly killed the couple to steal the $3,000 charged for the guns, authorities said.

In Facebook Messenger conversations that had begun the month before, Lang and Zwiefelhofer discussed traveling to Florida, buying body armor, committing robberies, stealing boats, escaping to South America or Ukraine, and smuggling guns and ammunition, the FBI affidavit says.

Federal authorities said they found records of Lang leaving Mexico City for Bogota, Colombia, in September 2018, then departing Colombia for Madrid, Spain, that November, with no record of Lang reentering the U.S. after leaving Mexico. The FBI agent’s affidavit, filed in August 2019, said social media posts showed Lang was in Ukraine at that time.

A jury convicted Zwiefelhofer in March on charges in the Florida case, including the use of a gun during a deadly violent crime and others. He is awaiting his sentencing.

The AP emailed an attorney listed for Zwiefelhofer seeking comments on the developments in the case involving Lang.

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Find out more about living in the UK

If you want to find out more about life in the UK once you’ve arrived, there’s more detail in the welcome guide for people arriving from Ukraine .

Added information about when someone from Ukraine will automatically pass a residence test.

Change note: Removal of redundant 'Stay up to date' call out.

Added information on double-taxation relief to 'Paying tax in the UK'.

Added links to guidance about the Scottish and Welsh government sponsorship schemes. Updated 'Getting financial help' with more information on available benefits.

Added translation

In 'When you first arrive in the UK': added a link to free travel information for those arriving in Northern Ireland, and updated information about collecting a BRP. In 'Getting healthcare from the National Health Service (NHS)': added links to information on registering with a GP in each devolved administration.

Updated the title to reflect that users may be coming from Ukraine but not be Ukrainian nationals. Updated 'If you have children' with information about applying for 'in-year' school places, and the updated child benefit figures for 2022/23.

Added Ukrainian translation

First published.

Invasion of Ukraine

• UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals
• Move to the UK if you're coming from Ukraine
• Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
• Find out about the UK’s response

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