Ukrainians protest outside Downing Street

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

Waving the country’s blue and yellow national flag and chanting anti-Russia slogans, several hundred pro-Ukraine supporters are gathered on Whitehall in front of Downing Street.

Some are carrying placards with depictions of Vladimir Putin alongside the words “terrorist” and “murderer.”

The crowd went silent while Ukraine’s national anthem was played before erupting into applause and resuming a chant of “Stop Putin. Stop the war.”

Olga Smith, a musician, artist and teacher, moved to London from Ukraine five years ago. Her daughter is still there, along with her four grandchildren.

Olga said her daughter called her in the early hours to say the invasion had begun and that their region was being bombed.

But Olga says this didn’t all start today.

“It’s been going on for eight years.” she said. “The West needs to do more to stop Putin now, because if they don’t he wont stop here. He will want to expand into more and more territory.”