‘Putin thinks he’s God’: Russian invasion echoes Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, Ukrainians in UK warn

Ukrainians living in London call on British government and other western powers to support Kiev

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine echoes the horror that befell Europe in 1939, the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK has warned.

Dennis Ougrin, a professor of child psychology at Queen Mary’s University, compared the developments in Ukraine to the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939.

The 48-year-old was one of hundreds of Ukrainians who gathered outside Downing Street on Thursday afternoon to call on the international community to implement tough reprisals against the Putin regime.

Blue and yellow flags rose above the crowd, which raised chants including “Stop Putin, Stop the War” and “Ukraine will resist”, and held placards calling the Russian president a “murderer”.

Groups of Ukrainians consoled each other with hugs, some in tears.

Members of the Ukrainian diaspora demonstrate against the Russian invasion outside Downing Street today (Rory Sullivan)

“This is a global emergency, it’s not just about Ukraine,” Ougrin, who is from Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine, said.

“We’re no longer in 1938, we’re in 1939. That’s the thing to understand.”

“Everyone will remember this day for many centuries. People should realise that today that will have an impact on their wellbeing and their children’s wellbeing,” he added.

The university professor urged the world to act, expressing his belief that Putin, left to his own devices, could soon attack other countries including Estonia.

Iryna Estevez, a teacher who moved from Ternopil, Ukraine, 21 years ago, reiterated this view.

“Ukraine for Putin is a stepping stone,” she said. “I think he’s aiming to conquer more of Europe, more sovereign countries.”

Iryna Estevez (left) spoke of her horror at what is happening in Ukraine (Rory Sullivan)

Like others, Estevez told The Independent of her fears for friends and relatives back in Ukraine, after the authorities in Kiev reported that dozens of Ukrainians had already died in the first Russian bombardments.

In particular, she highlighted the plight of some friends in Kiev whose baby was due on Thursday morning.

As Estevez spoke to them as they made their way by car to hospital, explosions could clearly be heard in the distance.

“Today is the worst day of my life,” she said, reflecting on the threat facing her country and her loved ones.

Anna Kredisova, 23, a consultant in London, also described the “pure terror” confronting her relatives in Ukraine, after Russian troops crossed the border from Russia and Belarus early on Thursday morning.

“Who knows how safe they will be tomorrow or even in a couple of hours,” she said.

This map shows major cities in Ukraine as well as Moscow-backed separatist regions. As of early this week, rebels held only parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions highlighted (The Independent)

Nadia Nychkalo, 38, a cleaning supervisor from the west of Ukraine, said her nephew is already having nightmares.

After waking up on Thursday, he asked his mother where the bomb he saw in his sleep was.

“Can you believe, the baby already had a dream about being in the war. It’s very sad,” his aunt said.

For many Ukrainians, their country’s plight in the twentieth century seems to be repeating itself.

Maria Zinchuk, 26, a dentist from the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi, said: “My grandma is 91. She survived the Second World War, she was a witness of that. This is the second war in her lifetime, imagine.

“It’s the twenty-first century, it’s the middle of Europe - it’s horrible and unacceptable. The world needs to do something.”

She added: “We never attacked anyone, we never wanted a war. We just want to live in our land, to be free. We don’t want a war. No one does.”

In response to Russian aggression, countries including the UK and the US said they would block Russian banks from the sterling and dollar markets.

However, Volodymyr Muzyckzka, 60, whose Ukrainian parents came to Britain as refugees after the Second World War, said such moves would be of little consolation to Kiev.

“Even sanctions are not going to stop Putin. He has to know that if he crosses more lines, then other countries’ militaries will get involved.

“I think there have to be boots on the ground,” he said, standing in the same spot where he called for the release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Soviet jails in the 1960s.

Two women from Kyrgyzstan show their solidarity for Ukraine at the Downing Street protest (Maryam Zakir-Hussain)

Reflecting on Putin’s motivations, Muzyckzka said: “He’s got to a certain stage in his life where he’s thinking about his legacy. And that’s a very dangerous thing, especially if you’re slightly unhinged, which he seems to be.”

Some members of the Ukrainian diaspora said that they and their friends want to head to Ukraine to fight against the Russians.

Angela Razina said: “I don’t know what I can do but I would like to go do something to help. Our people, our family is there and we need to go back to defend our families.”

Vlad Chryskin, a school pupil who has lived in London for three years, said he would sign up if he could.

“Even though I am only 16, I would happily go and fight off the Russians. I am ready to do it because it’s my country and I want to defend it.”

He added: “Putin thinks he is a god. I think he’s trying to be a new Stalin.”

Vlad Chryskin, 16, holds up a placard at the protest (Rory Sullivan)

“All nations, all London should stand against him. Not just Ukrainians. There shouldn’t be hundreds here, there should be thousands,” he said, scanning his eyes over his fellow protesters.

Some demonstrators said they will play their part by raising funds for the Ukrainian resistance and for the humanitarian response.

Hanna, 30, who moved to London from Chernivtsi, said: “There’s a part of me that just wants to drop everything and go home, but I have responsibilities here and I think as a Ukrainian here I can also make an impact, maybe on an international level.”

As well as lobbying the west to counter Putin’s aggression, Ougrin, the university professor, had a message for the Russian people.

“Putin clearly thinks very little of the worth of human life. I really hope Russians find it in their hearts to stand up to him a little bit. I can’t imagine that most of them support him,” he said. “I hope they can muster a little bit of resistance. Protesting against it is good for their soul.”