Tears, prayers and proud singing as Wolverhampton stands in solidarity with Ukraine

Members of the Ukrainian community, many of whom have friends and family still living in the eastern European country, joined the mayor of Wolverhampton, city councillors and civic representatives for the ceremony outside Wolverhampton Civic Centre on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian flag was raised by Greg Kowalczuk from the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and West Midlands Deputy Lieutenant Rajinder Mann while the Ukrainian National Anthem was played.

Cries of "Slava Ukrayini" (Glory to Ukraine) filled the air as Councillor Greg Brackenridge, the city's mayor, gave a speech talking about the horrors of the war and the issues people living in the country were facing.

Flanked by the Councillor Ian Brookfield, the leader of the council, and Wendy Thompson, the opposition leader, the mayor described the war as a "tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes" and said the thoughts of the whole city were with them.

The mayor also said he joined world and civic leaders in asking Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine and said Wolverhampton would support the country through street signs, St Peter's Church lighting up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag and a cross-party motion supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian community.

Speeches by Rajinder Mann and an emotional address by Greg Kowalczuk followed before the flag was raised and "Shche ne Vmerla Ukrainy i slava, i volia" (Glory and Freedom of Ukraine has not yet Perished) played, with many in attendance singing with passion and emotion.

Mychajlo Fedyk was one of many members of the Ukrainian community at the service and he spoke out passionately after the anthem was played, saying "Glory to Ukraine, glory to the heroes who have laid down their lives for the freedom of Ukraine and the freedom of Europe. Please pray with Ukraine today."

Mr Fedyk, who has cousins living in the area near the capital Kyiv, said the situation in the country was devastating.

He said: "Can you imagine how you feel if you were told to evacuate your home and you were given maybe 30 minutes to do so? What do you take with you?

"Do you take your dog or your family photos and possessions? All they know is they've got to flee as if they don't, there's chance they could lose their lives.

"It's an absolute humanitarian crisis, as food is running short, some cities haven't got power and people are frightened to go out and you can't believe this can possibly happen in the 21st century."

Other people attending the ceremony were looking to help people in Ukraine with whatever they could send in terms of aid, with Ian and Slava Madylus among those supporting the aid campaign by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.

Mr Madylus said he had been hit badly emotionally by the war in the country, speaking about friends caught up in the fighting and how it had affected him.

He said: "I can't comprehend what is going on right now and I'm a strong man, but at four o'clock on Thursday, I got a call from one of my medic friends Oksana and she said just three words: 'war has started'.

"I just broke down as I didn't think he would actually invade, but they have and I've been in tears every day about this.

"I worry a lot about my friends and if it comes to it, I'll go over as I feel so passionate about this and while I'm British-born Ukrainian, I love Ukraine and its traditions and I think what is happened is totally wrong."

Andrei Maslanyj said he had cousins living in Lviv in the west of the country and said they described the situation as desperately bad.

He said: "The women are looking to escape the country and go to family in Poland, but if you're a man between 16 and 60, you have to stay behind and fight for the country.

"The situation is that people are leaving their homes to go and flee the country and that's a tragedy as Ukraine is a sovereign country and a wonderful place and you can see this is the act of a madman trying to destroy the country."