University of Cumbria's Ukraine expert has friends 'making molotov cocktails'

University of Cumbria lecturer Alison Marshall has friends in Ukraine who are now "making molotov cocktails" in order to defend themselves.

Alison spent some time in Ukraine during the 2020 lockdown learning Russian, due to many Ukrainians speaking the language.

Some of her friends have stayed there to defend the country.

She said: "They're all professional people, some of them are sort of in their 40s and 50s. People now are angry and they know what they've got to do when they're doing it.

One of her friends in particular who is also a university lecturer is making molotov cocktails as a defence.

Alison said: "She's a university lecturer and she said 'I can't believe that I, a lecturer, am making molotov cocktails."

Alison explained that her friends are volunteering to help by doing things such as giving blood.

More than a million Ukrainians have now left the country to find safety with some others staying behind to help.