A Ukrainian student has spearheaded a group of protesters in a Sheffield rally against Russia’s attack on his homeland.
Vitalii Yalahuzian, 20, from Kiev, gathered with fellow protesters at Sheffield Town Hall this week to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
He as described the attack as a “real tragedy for Ukrainians and for Russians”.
The University of Sheffield journalism studies student said: “The situation right now is really horrible, my family is still in Ukraine – in Kyiv.
“I really hope something can stop Putin.”
The conflict has been ongoing since early 2014 but has recently escalated due to President Putin claiming that Russia had “been left with no other option to protect Russia”.
There have already been reports of civilians as well as military deaths within the country. Numbers of casualties are also rising.
Key political figures worldwide have promised to impose sanctions on Russia as a result of Putin’s actions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We will agree a massive package of economic sanctions designed in time to hobble the Russian economy.”
The first of these measures include freezes to Russian banks in the UK as well as a ban on Russian owned airline Aeroflot planes landing at UK airports.
President Joe Biden said: “We will limit Russia’s ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen to be part of the global economy.”
As a result, the Russian Ruble is trading at its lowest point ever against the US Dollar, with further sanctions set to be imposed in the future.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made his stance on the topic clear, stating that the UK will “diplomatically, politically, economically, and eventually militarily, this hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure”.
He added: “This crisis is about the right of a free, sovereign independent European people to choose their own future, and that is a right that the UK will always defend.”
According to a study recently conducted by The Moscow Times, 66% of Russians aged between 18 and 24 have a positive or very positive view of Ukraine.
