Prayers for Ukraine as crowds join anti-war demo

Prayers have been said for a peaceful end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine at a Ukrainian church in Scotland.

The service was held at Our Lady of Pochayiv and St Andrew's Catholic Church in Edinburgh.

Father Vasyl Kren said "many people in Scotland share the same emotions as Ukrainians" because of their opposition to the Russian attack.

The service came as crowds of people joined another anti-war demonstration in Edinburgh.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edinburgh was established 75 years ago and Father Vasyl said his fellow countrymen and women have "not just integrated but become a very good part of the Scottish community".

Asked about the Scottish support for Ukraine's plight, he added: "I am sure many people in Scotland share the same emotions as Ukrainians because we are defending the right things.

"The truth is on our side. We have support because people understand our pain, understand our tragedy."

Father Vasyl said he and many of his congregation were trying to help friends and family in Ukraine to safety and coordinate offers of help.

Meanwhile, protesters marched through Edinburgh as part of a demonstration against Russia's ongoing military attack on Ukraine.

Demonstrators went from the Russian Consulate in the city - which is twinned with Ukraine's capital Kyiv - to the Scottish Parliament.

Slava Yevminova, from Kharkiv in Ukraine, attended the demonstration despite having not slept properly for three days.

She said: "Kharkiv is today hell on earth. It's not the beautiful city I remember and that I was born in.

"Some of my friends are hiding in cellars, some are trying to flee the city and some they have taken arms in their hands and they are protecting their home."

Artem Golozubtsev, a Ukrainian citizen born in Russia who now runs a personal fitness business in Edinburgh, said he has friends in the grips of the conflict.

He said: "Last time I spoke to one of my friends it was three hours ago and he said, 'I can't speak to you, I can hear the bomb exploding'."

Because of his heritage, Mr Golozubtsev has relatives and friends in both Russia and Ukraine.

He explained: "I do have friends, some of them work for the government in Ukraine, they still have to work, and seek shelter at night in subway stations.

"On the other side I have other relatives staying in Russia, some of them military, and the words coming from their side is 'we are trying to free Ukraine from the Nazis, from the government that was not elected by the Ukrainian people'.

"I can say we did choose our president, we did choose our government and we are sticking to it.

"We have not invaded anyone, and we don't want to invade Russia."

Elsewhere, Angus Robertson, Scotland's external affairs secretary, said the UK needs to apply "maximum pressure" on Russia in a bid to force the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine.

Mr Robertson called for the Russian ambassador and other diplomats to be expelled and said Westminster needs to "change its policy and allow refugees from Ukraine into the UK" in the same way that other European nations have done.

"The idea that we should have Russian diplomats in the UK supporting the Kremlin lies about the war in Ukraine is intolerable," he said.