Oksana Guseva, a Ukrainian national who fled Moscow with her three children in June 2022, faces potential deportation to Russia after the UK's Home Office refused her asylum claim. Guseva, who is ethnically Ukrainian and an outspoken critic of the war, fears repercussions if returned to Russia.
The family arrived in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme but faced a setback when the Home Office refused to renew Guseva's visa in June 2025, stating she does not hold a Ukrainian passport. Guseva, 41, has had two asylum claims declined and is currently appealing the decision. She expressed concern for her safety in Russia, stating that she would be arrested upon arrival and her children would be taken from her.
"It's the fact the Home Office first granted us a visa and then later said it was a mistake and told us to go back," Guseva told the Mail. "It makes us feel like we've been abandoned. First they took us in and gave us protection and then they took it away."
Guseva was born in Ukraine in 1984 when it was part of the Soviet Union. Her family moved to Russia when she was two years old. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine and Russia became independent nations. Before the war, Guseva lived in Yaroslavl, Russia, with her husband and three children: Ilya, Maxim, and Yulia. The war significantly altered their lives, leading Guseva to leave Russia with her children and her mother, Lyubov.
The family settled in Greenwich, London. Guseva's children, now 13, 11, and eight years old, are reportedly integrated into English life, attending a Ukrainian school and engaging in local activities. Guseva has been taking English classes and learning to drive. She stated that her children do not remember living in Russia.
Despite their desire to remain in the UK and their ongoing appeal, the family faces the possibility of removal. Guseva has stated that she would choose to move to Ukraine rather than return to Russia if deportation becomes unavoidable. She noted that her residence permit expires in 2028, but acknowledged the complications of moving to Ukraine due to the ongoing war.
The Home Office declined to comment on individual cases.