The Ukrainians living on a cruise ship in Edinburgh

A cruise ship docked in Edinburgh is playing host to more than 100 Ukrainian refugees who have fled the country following the Russian invasion.

The MS Victoria is serving as temporary accommodation for families arriving in Scotland from Ukraine.

More than 10,500 people have travelled from Ukraine to Scotland since the invasion in February.

Refugees told BBC Scotland they were impressed by the facilities on the ship chartered by the Scottish government.

They began moving on to the vessel on Tuesday. It could accommodate up to 1,700 people in total.

Onboard facilities include restaurants, children's play areas with toys and books, shops, a laundry, support services and Wi-Fi access.

'Better than we could have dreamed'

Nikol Bilous said they have been eating their national dish - Borscht beetroot soup - on the ship

Nikol Bilous, 19, from Kyiv in Ukraine, told BBC Scotland: "The conditions on the ship are better than we could have dreamed of and we are very grateful to the Scottish people for this accommodation.

"There is Ukrainian TV channels which we were very surprised about as you never find that when you go on holiday.

"All the signs are in Ukrainian on the ship and most of the staff are Ukrainian.

"And last night we had Borscht beetroot soup, our national dish, we couldn't believe it.

"We were so happy to have this as it is our hearts."

Ukrainian food is available on the ship

She said there were cinemas and theatres on board but there were issues with the lights because they were not working after the Covid lockdowns.

"But we don't need entertainment and were very surprised they were trying to do all this for us," she said.

"Edinburgh Council has been on board all the time answering any questions we have, so we have felt 100% supported.

"There is also Wi-Fi on board. It's perfect.

"The rooms are quite small but they are perfect and we are very happy and grateful."

The Scottish government says new Ukrainian arrivals to Scotland are met at a network of "welcome hubs".

They are then moved into temporary accommodation such as a hotel or the MS Victoria, where they can stay until alternative housing is arranged.

The ship is guarded and anyone moving on and off will be subject to identification checks.

'A very warm welcome'

Kashif, Tanya and Marcia Munawar fled Ukraine for Scotland

Tanya Munawar, 37, and her husband Kashif Munawar, 44, travelled with their five-year-old daughter Marcia to Edinburgh from Kyiv in Ukraine.

Tanya, an accountant, said: "There are a lot of kind people and we are very thankful for all the support the Ukrainians have received.

"It is our first time in Scotland and since we arrived here we have had a very warm welcome.

"We have been leaving the boat and going into Leith to the shops and to do paperwork with the council so we can live here."

Inside the cruise ship that will house up to 1,700 refugees

The Munawars hope to get to know their new community in Leith and find work in the area.

Kashif said: "I'm an immigration consultant and since we arrived here on 26 July I have been trying to find us accommodation to rent and a job.

"I've been applying to hotels to be a housekeeping supervisor. We plan to stay here and work. It really helps that we can speak English.

"The ship is very comfortable and our room has two beds and a TV.

"My daughter is small and is feeling good, as long as she is with her parents she won't be affected by this."

'I prefer to feel safe'

Mariana Zdzhanske travelled to Edinburgh with her mother, who has dementia

The ship will be docked at all hours and residents will be able to arrive and leave whenever they want.

Mariana Zdzhanske, 34, travelled to Edinburgh from Lviv Region with her mother, Yaroslava, 68, who has dementia.

She said: "I am my mother's carer and made the decision to leave our home so that we could be safe.

"Home is always home, but I prefer to feel safe and not in danger.

"We don't know how long the war will go on for, but if it ends we will go home and if not we will try to find something here.

"Men under 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine so we had to leave my brother behind.

"I miss my home and all I love there but feeling safe is nicer."

Earlier this month the Scottish government announced it was pausing its super sponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees.

Ministers said it would allow staff to deal with a recent increase in visa applications.

The latest UK government statistics show that 10,562 Ukrainians refugees have arrived in Scotland - 7,554 sponsored by the Scottish government and 3,008 by individuals.

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