As Dmitri Finkelshtein teaches mathematics to some of Swansea's brightest young students, he feels a constant sense of nervousness. It is not because of his job - the associate professor has become incredibly well-respected since he took up his position in the city nine years ago. It is because of what is going on 1,700 miles away in the homeland he left behind.
The 44-year-old can do nothing but watch on from across the world as Russian troops tear through his home country of Ukraine, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Landmarks have been decimated, civilian areas bombed, and maternity wards and schools struck.
In the capital city of Kyiv are Mr Finkelshtein's mum and dad, who he has been unable to see since 2019 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. He and his wife, Oksana, and his eight-year-old son, Vladyslav, were finally due to fly back to be reunited with them over Easter, until Russia declared war on the eastern European country. You can read the latest briefing about all the events in Ukraine by clicking here, and keep up to date with more Swansea stories by subscribing to our daily newsletter here.
