War in Ukraine: Scots protesters stand in solidarity

Hundreds of people have gathered across Scotland to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A demonstration took place in Glasgow's George Square with the country's blue and yellow flag bringing splashes of colour to sombre banners, calling for an end to the conflict.

Scots stood beside Ukrainian nationals who have family and friends still on the ground in Ukraine.

Another vigil was held in Shetland to show solidarity with Ukrainians.

Valeriya Korolchuk, one of the organisers of the Glasgow demonstration, spoke of the "dire" situation facing her loved ones.

She said: "I have my friends, cousins, aunties, grandmother. Some of them have had to leave their homes and flee for the west - others have stayed behind to protect their home.

"The situation is really quite dire - the people there are very scared, they don't know what's going to happen to their homes, their children. They don't know what to do.

"This is a potential issue that could impact us here in Europe - because already Russian troops are attacking the nuclear plant and that could have really serious consequences."

Meanwhile, in Shetland hundreds of people gathered at Lerwick's Market Cross to express their dismay over the Russian invasion.

Following a minute's silence the Ukrainian national anthem was played to the assembled crowd followed by short speeches and messages of support.

And on Friday evening a vigil was held at the University of Aberdeen.

Another protest in London's Trafalgar Square began with the singing of Ukraine's national anthem and prayer.

Kosty is a Ukrainian national living in Glasgow, originally from the city of Mykolaiv near Crimea - which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014.

He told the BBC his daughter and ex-wife were currently still in Mykolaiv, hiding from attacks in a coal mine.

"They want to stay there," he said. "Our city is in quite good condition. There was one big fight inside the city but there is still resistance so troops have not entered it.

"But they sit in shelters and they wait because Russians don't have limits at all - they are killing civilians."

Kosty expressed his anger at what he believed was a weak response from Nato and the European Union over the invasion, and he said the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany should never have been built.

Kosty said: "I really appreciate the weapons. But come on, in all books it will be the Third World War started on 24 February 2022, no other dates.

"You're still waiting for Russia to attack - you think that Russia needs a reason to attack you? You think that Russia needs a reason to attack Ukraine?

"We were in a fight for eight years - we told the world about that many times. And what has been done? Biden and Merkel signed their completeness of the Nord Stream 2. That killed Ukraine at that moment."

Russian forces continued to shell the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Saturday, despite agreeing to a ceasefire just hours earlier - throwing an attempted mass evacuation of civilians into chaos.

Three hours after the ceasefire was supposed to begin, at 09:00 (07:00 GMT), Mariupol authorities announced they had postponed the planned evacuation because of the continued bombardment.

The port city of about 400,000 people is a key strategic target for Russia because seizing it would allow Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine to join forces with troops in Crimea, the southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Russia has not commented on the renewed shelling, but - according to Russian state media - its defence ministry said civilians had not used the escape routes from Mariupol and Volnovakha and accused Ukrainian authorities of preventing people from leaving.

Protests against the occupation have broken out in the port city of Kherson, Ukraine's only big city to have been captured in the war so far.

The UK has relaxed its visa regulations for Ukrainian refugees to allow 200,000 or more people into the country.

The scheme now allows close relatives of Ukrainian people settled in the UK to come over including adult parents, grandparents, children over 18 and siblings.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously said she would not place an "arbitrary" number on those allowed into Scotland having fled Ukraine - although such matters are reserved to Westminster.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken echoed the message, telling the rally in George Square: "Glasgow stands with Ukraine, with Ukraine's right to defend its sovereignty, its nationhood."

She added that the city stood ready to welcome refugees who have fled their homeland.

"Glasgow has for a long time stood with our doors open to refugees and we do that again. For anyone who comes from Ukraine, we will find a home for you here in Glasgow."