Britons in Ukraine vow to fight as Russian invasion sparks panic in Kiev

‘Ukrainians are proud people and will fight for this country, as will I if it comes down to that,’ ex-navy expat says

Britons who remain in Ukraine have vowed to fight if necessary as Russia’s invasion sparked panic in Kiev and led to residents taking shelter in metro stations.

Russian troops attacked the country on Thursday after the threat had loomed for weeks.

The UK government told British citizens in the country to leave earlier this month, but some told The Independent they decided to stay for family and because they considered it their home.

David Mann said people were not yet panicking in Kremenchuk, a city in central Ukraine where he lives, which had not yet been hit by Russian forces. “Other than long queues to buy food and to get petrol.”

“People here are shocked and angry with Putin but in no way cowed by present events,” the 72-year-old, who used to work for the navy, said. “Ukrainians are proud people and will fight for this country, as will I if it comes down to that.”

Mr Mann, who has lived in Ukraine for 13 years, said his neighbours were “both surprised and happy that I have chosen to stay here”.

Another Briton who remains in Ukraine is Duncan Stroud, who lives in Kiev, where – just like several other cities – explosions and gunfires were heard on Thursday.

David Mann says he would fight for Ukraine ‘if it comes down to that' (Facebook)

He said there was “initially panic” at shops and cashpoints in the capital, where thousands fled in cars following the news of the invasion. Others took shelter in underground metro stations, he said.

The situation was slightly calmer, Mr Stroud told The Independent on Thursday morning, as there was a larger presence of Ukranian troops. “People feel better,” he said, and were “cheering and honking car horns”.

Russian forces fired missiles at several Ukrainian cities and landed troops on its south coast on Thursday, after Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation in the east.

Phill Healy, who works in London but would regularly travel to Ukraine for his family, said he was contacted in the early hours by his wife to say she had been woken by explosions.

Phill Healy hopes to join his wife and daughter who are still out in Ukraine (Facebook)

“I want to get back out there but I will have to drive as the airspace is now closed,” the 62-year-old said, explaining he was “very worried” about his wife and 14-year-old daughter, who are living just outside Odessa.

“If I’m there I can at least try and look after them.”

Kateryna Shamshuryna-Acland, a British police officer, told The Independent her 72-year-old mother can hear bombing from her house in Kharkiv, where she lives alone and is feeling “anxious and worried”.

Ganna Shamshuryna, who lives alone in Kharkiv, with her daughter Kateryna Shamshuryna-Acland (Kateryna Shamshuryna-Acland)

The Independent previously reported how Ganna Shamshuryna had been blocked from entering the UK - where her daughter and grandchildren live - for years.

Ms Shamshuryna-Acland said there may be chance of bringing her mother to join her on an emergency visa given the invasion, with her lawyer asking if she could get to a nearby country. Airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down to civilian air traffic on Thursday.

The 34-year-old said her mother told her: “I can’t get anywhere even within the city. Nothing is moving.” All public transport had been brought to a standstill in Ukraine’s second-largest city, she said.

Instead, the 72-year-old was just planning to “sit put”.