A MOVING demonstration was held in Southampton to show solidarity with Ukraine. 

Southampton residents and Ukrainian refugees stood shoulder to shoulder in Above Bar Street on Saturday to raise awareness about the situation in Ukraine. 

Iryna Afonina is one of the organisers of the Southampton event who came to the UK three months ago. 

In Ukraine, she was an event organiser and hopes to continue her line of work. 

She said: "I need to help Ukraine and we need to change the situation.

"I am very happy that I can do this here because many Ukrainian people are here, some from Portsmouth, some from Winchester. 

"This is about us showing you the position in Ukraine.

"I am very happy that I have made new friends here who have helped me because without them I would not be able to do this, this is a new country for me. 

"I still worry and the first thing for me was to take care of me and of my daughter. 

"One day, I hope I can return to my country."

Artem Ivanov is a Ukrainian refugee who fled the country with his family. 

Daily Echo: Artem Ivanov with his wife and two of their children.Artem Ivanov with his wife and two of their children.

He told of the moments he thought he might be killed when Russian troops detained him.

lived in Kherson, Ukraine, with his wife and three children, a city that is now occupied by Russian troops. 

Since the war began, Artem and his wife volunteered to help their community and the Ukrainian soldiers with food and medicines for the sick and injured. 

He said: "In the beginning it was quite normal working as a volunteer but when Russian troops entered our city it was so difficult because they stopped us from checking everything. 

"Twice I was held in a base ground, they held me for two hours asking many questions. 

"I remember there were six soldiers with masks, they made me give my fingerprints. 

"In those moments I was thinking my life would stop. It was so stressful for me."

He and his family were forced to flee Kherson. 

"We were forced to leave because it was so dangerous for our family," he said. 

"We would like to say to all UK people thank you very much for all of their assistance and for all they have done to help our country. 

"We are very happy in Southampton. It is a very long and hard story, but finally we are here, we are safe."

Liliya Papalaki, 37, has lived in Southampton for seven years after growing up in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Daily Echo: Liliya Papalaki with her mum Natalia.

She is married to Southampton man Liam Livingston. 

On February 22 she flew back to Ukraine to visit her mother, Natalia, in the city. 

But just two days after she arrived to her home country, the war began. 

"In the early morning, 3.58am, we started hearing explosions," she explained. 

"The building was shaking and I am so glad that in that moment I was with my mum because she has health conditions. 

"If I was there, I now probably wouldn't have my mum." 

They spent three days in the shelling and a rocket hit a section of their building. 

They met two other families who had lost their homes and took them in with them to ensure they would all remain safe. 

They spent six days in the house together until they ran out of food and water. 

Liam had been working in Holland but decided he could no longer wait and left his job to fly to the Polish border. 

He got a car and filled it with lots of medical supplies for the army and everything they would need.

One morning, Liliya decided they needed to leave and first thing in the morning she gathered all she could and they drove to the border. 

"What we saw was really scary," she said. 

"We saw lots of explosions, lots of cars, it's scary.

"It took us three days to reach the border."

They drove to a village to collect a British citizen who was also trying to get home before making their way to the Polish boarder.

The group had to stay in quarantine due to the pets they took with them, but eventually were able to return to the UK. 

"It doesn't make it any easier," she said. 

"Our heart is over there, I still have my friends there, I lost my uncle, he didn't make it. 

"It's really hard."

Liliya, Liam and Natalia are now safely back in Southampton with her three cats.