Demonstrators have gathered outside the Russian consulate in Edinburgh for a second day as Scotland’s Ukrainian community voices outrage at the ongoing war.
Hundreds chanted “slava Ukraini” (glory to Ukraine) outside the consulate on Friday afternoon, with many bringing Ukrainian flags and anti-Putin signs.
A bagpiper played Ukraine’s national anthem and some Ukrainians addressed the crowd through a megaphone, calling for more Western help to resist the invasion.
One of those who spoke was Daryna Tryndiuk, 21, who is from Kyiv and now lives in Durham. She travelled to Edinburgh for the protest.
She told the PA news agency: “It’s horrible at the moment. Today I got the news that Kyiv came under a phase of defence.
“My friends and family, they’ve spent the whole night in bomb shelters and the Metro.”
Many of her friends are volunteering to fight the Russian invasion, she said.
She said: “My friends are absolutely united and ready to fight for Ukraine and their city.
“People are ready, they will not surrender.”
Iryna Zamuruieva, 29, is from central Ukraine and now lives in Edinburgh.
She said the West should provide more weapons to Ukraine, shut out Russia from the Swift financial payments system and impose a no-fly zone.
She told the PA news agency: “I have a lot of anxiety for the future. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to see my parents again.
“Kyiv the capital is being attacked. I have a lot of admiration for people who are staying there and fighting back.”
Linda Allison is chair of the Edinburgh branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
She said: “Most of us were crying yesterday.
“But what’s happening now is we’re angry, we’re angry at the inaction of the West.
“The Swift banking system could still be taken away from Russia, we’re angry that they’re not giving enough support to Ukraine.”
People in Ukraine are feeling “abandoned”, she said, calling for visa-free travel for Ukrainian refugees.
She said: “Ukrainians are very proud people, they want their independence, it’s been proven through all the things they’ve been doing.
“Through Maidan (revolution), peaceful demonstrations, the Orange Revolution before that.”
One of those who attended the demonstration was a young woman from Russia who held a sign saying “Russian people don’t want war”. She did not want her name to be published.
She said many of her friends in Russia are protesting against the war and want to show their support for Ukraine.
