Ukrainian people living in York used an emergency rally to plea for the world’s help as Russia escalated its war against their homeland.
People came together at the demonstration in St Helen’s Square to show solidarity for the country, after a series of missile attacks brought death and destruction to Kyiv and other cities yesterday and today.
After crisis talks the G7 leaders today issued a statement vowing to “hold President Putin and those responsible to account”.
People who have fled Ukraine to live in York told YorkMix that their country needed more action from the international community to bring the war to an end.
Oleksandra Onyshkevych is from Lviv. She said: “Yesterday and today all Russia missiles strike Ukraine. Many rockets fly and we worried about our people in Ukraine.
“We are afraid what happens next. My friends have to sit in shelters, waiting.
“Stop Russia terrorism in Ukraine because it’s a very bad situation now.”
Svitlana Kucher from Kyiv came to York with her daughter in April. She said the rally was asking “the world to save Ukraine because the situation, it’s more than dangerous for us. It’s so terrible.
“We need to stop this.
“Thank you for supporting England and thank you for hospitality all the English people. It’s so kind for us.
“I just repeat – we want to ask all the world to help to stop this unbelievable war.”
Sergiy Sokolov is also from Kyiv. He told us: “Everybody has supported Ukraine.
“It’s been incredible support. We need just a little bit more in order to save those lives from airstrikes.”
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