Cumbrian teacher trapped in Ukraine as Russia invades

A teacher from Penrith is trapped in Ukraine's capital city, which has been gripped by panic following the Russian invasion of the country.

Andrew is in Kyiv and can see the unfolding drama in the streets below.

In addition, many Ukrainians in our region are desperate for news about their relatives in the eastern European state.

"You can see here the roads are blocked entirely," he said.

"I feel nervous of course when I look outside and see the panic it makes that worse. The best place to go in the event of bombing would be the metro because the underground is the safest place and is almost the equivalent of a public bomb shelter.

"There are metro stations all around my area and they can hold a lot of people so that was one of the pieces of advice that we got."

Meanwhile, in Cumbria, Pat Harrison from Kendal has been trying all day to speak to her children's charity New Beginnings in Kyiv. She has no idea if the vulnerable children being cared for there are safe.

She said: "Our Genesis House they have no where to go because these children have no families fortunately we are in a village but we are only a few kilometres from the city and the main airport so I am extremely worried to get in touch with them to see what's happening."

Peter Kormelo, from Dumfries, has family all across Ukraine.

"The first relative who phoned me was from Rusland near Harkiv, and he had witnessed Russian tanks going past his village," he said.

"They put up the Russian flag and according to him there were 50 casualties each side within the first hour of that particular part of the invasion.

"But I then realised the invasion was coming from all directions and it almost broke my heart."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said there will be a strong set of sanctions against Russia following the invasion, as has US President Joe Biden.

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