A Ukrainian woman who made Scotland her home five years ago has opened up on fears she may "never see her family again" amid the invasion.
Nahris Shannon, who lives in Midlothian, watched in horror as Russian troops invaded her homeland last week where most of her family still live.
The 26-year-old was born and grew up in Poltava, a Ukrainian city just a few hours away from Kyiv.
So far she had managed to keep in contact with family and friends and has received messages back to say food is running out, with others joining up to the defence force.
She said: "I have my family there, my auntie, uncles and cousins, we are very close. My auntie and my two brothers and cousins looked after me since my mother passed away when I was young.
"Currently my uncle who is sixty-years-old and my two brothers who have children under five are part of the defence force.
"It's made me feel angry, sad and afraid for my friends and family. I also started to feel guilty that I couldn't be there with them to help in any way possible.
"I don't have a large family and watching this unfurl I am afraid that something will happen to them and I will never see them again.
"My classmate and very good friend phoned me telling that she's volunteering, helping people with food and medicine supplies , said that people are running out food and she had to go and help.
"She was risking her life as most of the woman and children were hiding in the bunkers."
Hearing that supplies were running out across the country, Nahris was among many in Edinburgh and the Lothians who jumped into action, preparing donations to be sent over.
Working with the Edinburgh Ukranian Club, the 26-year-old appealed to the local community to give whatever they can to her collection point, in the hope of making a small but important difference.
After heading into her local Lidl store in Penicuik, Nahris shared she had been overwhelmed when her request for empty boxes to pack items had been met with a huge donation from the store.
She added: "On the third day I calmed down a little bit , and said to myself 'ok Narhis it is ,what it is, what I can do to help my country, my family, my friends?
"Although supplies on the Polish border are great, there is a need for supplies to reach the heart of Ukraine itself to the families who are isolated and in hiding.
"I can't be physically there, as I have a five year old son that I have to look after, so I decided to organise a donation collection just at the estate where I'm living.
"When I went to Lidl to ask for empty boxes I was very surprised when the manager did not just give me those boxes , he also asked if Lidl could contribute I left him my contact details.
"Then an hour later he phoned me up and said that he can bring all the goods straight to my house and to be honest I didn't expect this amount of stuff.
"He didn't just dropped it he and his son helped carrying all the boxes inside my house, I was absolutely grateful, there was over 200 tins of food two large boxes of pasta and ten macaroni cheese boxes.
"All the goods will be taken to Edinburgh Ukrainian club , members of this club had organised shipment to Poland , there is a lot of volunteers that will help to send it across the border to Ukraine for people who need it most."
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