After the rally of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to protest everywhere for the bloodshed taking to the streets, large crowds gathered in the capital to support the country. On their way through London, protesters marched under Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace message on a huge electronic billboard in Piccadilly, with many waving the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag as they passed. Sadiq Khan is taking part in the demonstration. Photo: Tom Nicholson / Reuters Most of those gathered strongly believed that Ukraine would prevail in the ongoing brutal conflict against Vladimir Putin’s forces. Kahn, who had organized the march to mark a month since Putin’s invasion and after Zelensky’s call for global support, told the Guardian that London stood “side by side with Ukraine in its darkest hours”. Later, crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square, adorned with the bluish-yellow of Ukraine. Among those gathered was Izyma Savkina, who fled the Ukrainian capital Kyiv last week. The 36-year-old said: “Eventually the Russians will kill Putin themselves. “But in the meantime we need more air support and more weapons from NATO.” Elsewhere, friends Yuliya Gavnylyuk from Ivano-Frankivsk and Sofia Silina from Zaporizhzhia also believed that their country would eventually win the war. A protester holds a placard reading “No-fly zone”. Photo: Justin Tallis / AFP / Getty Images “Absolutely, we will win. “We are fighting for our freedom and for our homes,” Gavnylyuk said. Silina added that three of her family’s homes had been destroyed in the fighting and all that was left was their grandfather’s house, which he now guarded alone with a gun near the front line. When the conflict is over, they said, they will travel back to Ukraine for a huge party. As another day of fighting continued 1,600 miles east, a vigil was to be held in Trafalgar Square with crowds of British, Ukrainian and European politicians. Hanya Dezyk, from the Union of Ukrainians in the United Kingdom, said: . “Our name gives us hope and strengthens our determination to fight for the freedom of Ukraine.” The children show their support for the people of Ukraine. Photo: Aaron Chown / PA Celebrities were spotted offering their support. Among them was actress Helen Mirren, who offered her thoughts to Ukraine “at this terrible time.” The actor added: “It is important that we send a message of support so that Ukrainians know that they are not alone and I am proud that the people of London stand together in his name this Saturday.” Julie Walters was another who said: “It’s important for people to come together to show that they have our support when they need it, and I’m glad that London is working together to send a strong and clear message of solidarity. ” Khan, who also announced more than 1, 1.1 million in funding to support refugees and asylum seekers in London, added: “We have a proud history of providing shelter to those fleeing conflict and this funding will ensure that there is support to help in time of need. “ The mayor said the money would help people affected by the invasion of Ukraine, as well as European Londoners, the Windrush generation and those affected by the lack of capacity in the asylum system. Anna Byrd, executive director of the European Movement, added: “It is time to unite parties, organizations, religions, beliefs and backgrounds to condemn this act of aggression by Putin. “Our task is based on the belief that a closer, more united and peaceful Europe is in the interest of all of us.” Following Zelensky’s call to the world to show his support for his war-torn country, major demonstrations have taken place in the Netherlands and Ecuador, as well as cities in Sofia, Bulgaria, Krakow in Poland and Mexico City.
