Ukraine: Ambassador to UK calls for more support and says his country will fight

The Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko addressed the crowd

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK has called for Britain to do more to help his country.

Vadym Prystaiko, addressing a Downing Street rally, called for more support, weapons and humanitarian assistance as Russia continues its invasion.

Hundreds gathered at the rally with chants of "stop Putin" being heard and calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

The UK has rejected a no-fly zone over fears it would start a Europe-wide war with a nuclear-armed power.

"We need support, we need weapons, we need humanitarian assistance," Mr Prystaiko said.

He added: "We will fight. We will bring [Putin] down."

Demonstrators shouted "stand with Ukraine" and "shelter our sky", and held banners with "stop Putin" written in mock blood.

Some in the crowd called for a no-fly zone to be established over Ukraine, while others wanted the UK to take in more refugees.

Some protesters were calling for a no-fly zone over Ukraine

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Campaign group London Euromaidan, set up by Ukrainians living in London, organised the protest. They want the UK to expel Russian companies and oligarchs that support Putin's regime from London.

It comes as Ukrainian cities face heavy shelling from Russian forces, including at a military training base near Poland.

Katya, a Ukrainian attending the protest, told the BBC more help was needed for Ukrainian refugees, including those who do not have family ties in the UK.

She said: "A lot of people just lost their homes, just help them to live in these difficult times...

"Already more than two million people have left Ukraine. Countries such as Poland take a lot of refugees and it has become a humanitarian catastrophe.

"I think the UK should allow more people to come and stay here."

Katya, originally from Ukraine, said more help was need for refugees

The protest follows criticism of the government - including from its own MPs - over the speed and scale of its response.

The government has offered households in the UK £350 a month to open their homes to tens of thousands of people that could come fleeing war in Ukraine.

A separate Ukraine protest also took place outside the BBC's headquarters, near Oxford Circus, and was heading to Parliament Square.

On Saturday hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside Downing Street.