Ukrainian pop star Taras Topolia joins military efforts to defend Kyiv against 'Russian terrorists'

ITV News speaks to singer Taras Topolia in Kyiv

Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine Taras Topolia was a singer in a pop-rock band.

Now he's a soldier in Kyiv, working with his colleagues to deliver medical aid to members of the military hurt in fighting.

"I'm still a pop star, just wearing body armour," he told ITV news.

The musician described switching up his day job to defend his country as having "a different desk".

"There was no other way but to defend our country when Russia and Putin decided to occupy," the singer said.

"It's a horrible situation, it's terrible all over the country. The Russians are bombing civilians, they're terrorists. The army, the government, Putin, they're a terrorist state".

Ukrainians, many of them public figures, have taken up arms to defend their country against advancing Russian forces.

ITV News has previously spoken to Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik, who vowed "to make sure we give the Russians a good fight and we give them hell," as she continued her military training in Kyiv.

Shelling continued in suburban areas surrounding the capital on Sunday.

An update from the UK Ministry of Defence on Sunday said Russian forces had made "limited progress" in capturing eastern cities under attack.

But it warned this would lead to continued use of "heavy firepower to support assaults on urban areas... at the cost of further civilian casualties".

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