A Ukrainian woman trapped on the outskirts of Kyiv has described life for those caught in the crossfire of the Russian invasion.
Mila Florence, who goes by Ludi, is stuck in an apartment building at the edge of Ukraine's capital, which is under invasion by Russian forces.
Ludi has been in Ukraine for over two years, but prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 37-year-old lived in South Shields with her husband Stephen, who still lives there.
From her window, she says at midday the once bustling streets are now deserted after a long night filled with the sounds of missiles and shelling.
Go here for the very latest breaking news updates from the Russia Ukraine war
On her morning dog walk around her neighbourhood, Ludi says that the only people she sees are those queuing for essential stores like pharmacies and those entering public bomb shelters on the streets.
Ludi is living in a flat with two friends, her dog and her cat.
She shares an apartment block with around 50 flats, with one large basement underneath the building which has recently been modified by the residents into a underground bunker where they can retreat to should the war reach their neighbourhood.
The residents have stocked the basement with essentials including clothes, tea and food.
"I have been over in Ukraine since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, but South Shields is my second home," says Ludi.
"My husband is desperate for me to leave the country and get back to England or go to Poland for safety, but the city is being circled right now and it isn't safe to attempt to leave. There is a airport not too far from us, but we don't want to risk travelling out.
"The other routes out of the country will take days because of the long queues, as so many families are fleeing. People sleep overnight in the train stations which are running in desperation leave the city.
"The government has also introduced a five o'clock curfew now, which makes being able to leave the city much harder."
Ludi's parents are in the south of Ukraine, where she said the "situation is changing drastically", where reports are that tanks and troops have poured into Ukraine at points along the border.
"I keep in touch with them over the phone throughout the day," she says.
The atmosphere among Ukrainians is a mixture of "anger, fear but also calm", says Ludi.
"We have to stay sane," she says. "It's hard to do that because we hear the sirens at night, they are extremely loud.
"Last night we only got a little sleep because of the sounds of missiles and shelling above us. Because we are not from a military background, we don't know what exactly the sounds are, but that's more frightening in a way.
"This morning a missile hit a tower block not far away from us. Luckily no one died, but there were people injured.
"Throughout all of this, we know that we have to keep positive and strong. We do because we are Ukrainian and it is our nature to be resilient.
"We have tried to find joy in the little things. Last night we attempted a game of cards, but we could hear the missiles all around us."
In order to remain calm, Ludi says she chooses to limit her media access and filter what she views, whilst keeping a eye on what is escalating all around her.
Ludi has male friends who have recently signed up to 'protect Ukraine' and are 'ready to go wherever they are sent'.
"We are fighting for our country, for our children and for our human rights," said Ludi. "The men I know going into battle are strong and exceptionally brave.
"We are not scared of Putin or his army. In this situation, he is the only one with blood, our blood, on his hands. We didn't want this war, we just want to live in peace in our own country. We will never, ever let him forget what he's done to us."
Ludi described Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "keeping everyone in Ukraine together in the face of war".
"I'm pretty proud of him," says Ludi. "His background isn't in politics, he's an actor and a comedian, but how he has handled himself throughout this invasion has been very impressive. He's keeping us strong."
Ludi also says the support from across the world for Ukraine 'has been wonderful to see'.
"People come together in war, and we've seen that throughout history. I know people who are posting online offering strangers car-shares to the Polish boarder," she said.
"One of the biggest things people can do to help is share our story, so that the world can see how tense and frightening our situation is right now."
Ludi has also asked people to donate to the National Bank of Ukraine's Special Account to Raise Funds for their Armed Forces, which you can find here, and also the Red Cross charity, which helps people living in Ukraine have access to food, water, first aid, medicines, warm clothes and shelter.
"We will stay strong. As Churchill once said 'we shall never surrender'," said Ludi. "To the world, I want to say that we in Ukraine hear your messages and we hear your support."
For the latest local news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
