Former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who’s now the Mayor of Kyiv, spoke to the BBC Radio 4's World at One earlier.

He says people were shocked to hear explosions in the city and is appealing for unity from the West to help Ukraine.

It's our goal, it’s our dream, to build a modern, democratic country and be "part of the European family", he says.

Klitschko says Russia’s army is one of the biggest in the world and he admits it will be a difficult fight, but he says Ukrainians don’t like Russian aggression and they will be "fighting for our future, fighting for our children”.

“I’m not scared about me, I’m a fighter”, he says - but he admits he is concerned about the three million people he's responsible for who live in Kyiv.

When asked what he would say to the Russian people? He replies every war brings blood, death and disability and questions if they need that along with sanctions.

If Russia wan flex muscle make dem bring their men make dem do am Mano to mano