UKRAINIANS gathered in Edinburgh and Glasgow today to show support for their country, family and friends.
In George Square in Scotland's biggest city, one group, who are part of the Ukrainian diaspora of Glasgow, braved the snow and rain to be with loved ones "emotionally" following the Russian invasion of their country overnight.
Russian forces have launched a major military assault on Ukraine, with missile strikes and explosions reported near major cities and reports of attacks on military infrastructure.
Olga McGowan, 45, is originally from Kyiv but has lived in Glasgow for 12 years.
She was one of several people gathered in George Square today to garner support for Ukraine.
She said: "We are here to let the world know that the Putin regime is an evil regime.
"It’s not going to stop in Ukraine, it’s not going to stop in East Ukraine, or North or South Ukraine.
"Putin will take as much democracy, as much of the civilised world as we all allow him to do.
"We ask for people’s help, support, understanding for Ukraine."
Many of the group said they were not made aware of the invasion on the news, but instead, they were given the "horrible" update by family and friends living there.
Tetyana Barnes, 47, has lived in Scotland for 20 years but still has family living in her hometown of Zaporzhze.
She said she was "devastated" upon hearing of the invasion from her family.
Tetyana said: "I didn’t see the news, my sister called and she said to me ‘Tetyana, war has started’.
"I was crying all morning and I still can’t stop.
"My brother there has family, my sister has family and everybody is so scared, very scared."
Nadiia Gorash, 36, also found out about the invasion from her mum who lives in Kharkiv and says the news "has come as a shock".
She said: "The first message in the morning I read was from my mum who stays in Ukraine and she was telling me about her experience of being woken up in the middle of the night by loud noises.
"Then after listening to and reading the news she realised the military port in the city was destroyed.
"She sent me a message and she is okay and alive, but the war has started."
Kostya Ursalov, 42, is originally from Mykolaiv and has lived in Glasgow for one year.
He says he "did not sleep all night" and came down to George Square as for now it's "the only thing we can do to show our support".
Kostya said: "For the whole world, something changed dramatically.
"Now they just show who they are not for us but for the whole world, we already know who they are.
"Everyone is very worried and trying to figure out what to do, but this is just the first day, it’s not finished."
Meanwhile on Thursday it was announced that Glasgow will end its twin city agreement with Rostov-on-Don in Russia in solidarity with Ukraine. The two cities signed the agreement in 1986.
Over in Edinburgh, protesters waved flags and chanted as they demonstrated against the invasion outside the Russian consulate.
Gathered outside the building in the capital’s New Town on Thursday, about 40 protesters raised Ukrainian flags and chanted “Glory to Ukraine” while holding placards demanding Putin orders his troops out of the country.
Majan Poikhylyy was born in Kyiv, and at the protest the 28-year-old described the attack as a “horror movie”.
“I was watching CNN live and he (Putin) was just finishing his speech about starting a military operation. But then I go onto Facebook and then I see explosion here, explosion there,” he said.
“I was watching the whole night my country get bombed. I was watching it live. And it was a horror movie. And I don’t want to watch that horror movie.”
Speaking outside the Melville Street consulate, he said: “The guys in that building represent the government that has been bombing my country and I’m not happy about it. At all.”
With family in its capital, he has been keeping in touch. “I’m just asking how are they? What’s happening? What’s happening? What’s happening?
“I have been speaking to my friends in Kyiv on the chats, on the Facebook chats, sometimes live video, and we’re just reading the news together and just telling news to each other and just being scared and being supportive to each other.
“And it’s just a really scary time. I think a lot of people abroad from Ukraine can see it happening but they just can’t do anything and it’s really frustrating.”
On Friday, the Ukrainian diasporas of Glasgow and Edinburgh will gather outside the Russian consulate in Edinburgh at 12.30pm alongside other groups to show support for Ukraine.
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