'We will be back whatever happens' - British teacher flees Kyiv with family and their cat
Dan Baker thanks people for sharing his story
A teacher from Brighton living in Ukraine, who was sheltering in a basement in the capital of the war-torn country, is now fleeing, as he fears for his family's safety.
Dan Baker, 41, has left the school he and his wife ran in Kyiv, after hiding there for several days since the Russians invaded Ukraine.
Mr Baker married his Ukrainian wife, Victoria, in 2016 and set up home in Kyiv.
The couple have now left the capital along with her daughter Veronica and their cat Pumpkin, and are currently staying in the western city of Lviv.
Speaking to ITV Meridian from Lviv, Dan said they are eventually planning on returning to their home in the capital, even if the city has been taken over by the Russians.
Dan Baker says Kyiv is his home, and fully intends on returning
Dan has been recording video diaries on YouTube since the invasion began, sharing his experiences of sheltering in the basement of the school he runs with his wife.
Offering daily updates, Dan recorded the couple's journey in the car to collect fuel and water as the Ukrainian forces barricaded areas of the city.
The pair spent five hours in the car waiting at checkpoints to get petrol for their car, before returning to empty the freezer so they would have enough food to survive.
Dan fills up water bottles and their car with fuel
The family made the decision to leave the capital on Saturday, and have been forced to wait in a queue of traffic for four days, as they tried to escape.
They have now reached Lviv, but want to return to Ukraine once it's safe.
Dan said, "Leaving has been quite slow at times, but it has got faster.
"With every major town that we have passed, there are less people on the roads.
Dan described Lviv as more like a town in Europe
"We are in Lviv now, which is about 60 kilometres from the border with Poland, but we've decided to stay here for a couple of days to re-power so we have enough energy to get to the border.
"Either way, whatever happens, we will be going back, whether it's Russian occupied, or Ukrainian occupied.
"We have a life there, we have a flat there, we have a home.
"We were planning to come back before the war anyway for my brother's wedding, so we will come back to England and spend some time, but we are adamant that we will return to our home which is Kyiv.
"We hope it won't take too long, but we are firm and resolute that we will be going back.
"We have a home there.
"That's why we chose to stay there originally, and why we will be returning."