A pretty student today told how she is preparing to "kill as many Russians as possible" to help save her country.
Until last week Maryna Mazur was happy studying for her business degree in Berlin and dreamed of following in her father's footsteps as a successful entrepreneur.
But she tonight returned to her war-torn homeland after travelling from her apartment in the German capital via Przemysl, Poland, six miles from the Ukrainian border.
And she defiantly told me she is now willing to sacrifice her life in the fight against Vladimir Putin 's invaders in Kyiv.
While smoking a cigarette to calm her nerves, Maryna, 22, said: "I want to join the fight.
"Nothing matters now apart from family staying alive... and to kill as many Russians as I can.
"I'm usually a peaceful person who doesn't want people to get killed, but I have no feelings for people who come to our country and kill our children. I know it will be hard to kill. But I am ready to do it."
Maryna was with her mum Lilila, 51, who had come to visit her for her birthday, in Berlin when war broke out last Thursday.
But rather than remain safe there, they both immediately knew they wanted to return to their family home just outside Kyiv, despite the city falling under almost constant attack.
Maryna said: "It was an easy decision - I grew up in a family that is quite patriotic and I love my country.
"Emotionally I couldn’t just stay safe in my apartment in Germany and drink coffee and go to classes when all of this is going on.
"Who would I be if I just stayed in safety? That would be impossible for me.
"My family and friends are all in Ukraine. It's better to go back and be with them and die with them than stay in safety in Germany.
"Many people think it is stupid because in the world there is a view of taking care of yourself first, and I realise that, but I need to help."
Maryna says her parents Liliana, 51, who works for a building firm, and Vadiym, a 53-year-old businessman, understand her stance.
She said: "My father has previously sponsored private battalions has now gone into the Army and my mother said she would rather die that leave Ukraine permanently.
"It's upsetting, but if it saves someone else’s life, I am prepared to die.
"I am willing to give my life to save others. I will give up my body and soul for freedom.
"I want to save as many Ukrainian lives as I can."
Maryna admits she has no military experience and has never even fired a gun, but says she knows other women who have already joined the resistance after being trained to shoot in less than a day.
And she says she also wants to help make Molotov cocktails to fight back against Putin's army.
She said: “ Russia occupied Crimea and then occupied Donbas... they started a war against us and it was only a question of time before they did this.
“Putin is a f**monster. He's not a human.
"My friend’s friends tried to get out of Kyiv on the highway when their car was shot at. The whole family died.
“I have no feelings towards the people coming onto our lands, killing our children and people and bombing houses. Let them all die."
Maryna does not expect to return to her business degree this year or know if her family home is still standing.
And she isn't sure what she will now do with her life... if she survives the war.
She said: "Our town near Kyiv is being occupied and we don't know if the house is there anymore.
"I don’t have any plans for the future anymore, hopefully I'll still be alive.
"But I don’t think I will come back to my studies this year and I don't think I'm going to get back to normal life."
Russia has increased its bombardment of some of Ukraine's biggest cities.
And the UN today announced more than one million people have now fled the country since the war began last Thursday.
But Maryna was among nearly 200 brave patriots queuing to travel back in on a train from Przemysl, Poland, to Lviv, western Ukraine.
Alongside her in the snaking line was proud Ukrainian Igor Matviyko, who had travelled from his home just outside Dublin, in order to return to his mother's home near Mariupol.
The butcher said he has lived and worked in Ireland for more than 20 years and has left his wife Tatiana, 48, and daughter Alona, 29, there.
He said: "I am ready to fight for my children and grandchildren.
"My wife and daughter are scared for me, but my daughter told me 'you're my hero'.
"I'm not a hero, this is just life. I don't want to die, but I'm willing to do it to defend my country."
Another passenger, computer programmer Oleh Monka, 23, from Lviv, said: "If need to I will fight, but my main priority is to help my family.
"I think Ukraine will win this war because Russia is against the entire world now."
