Invasion provokes fear and anger for Ukrainians in UK

"I've been living here for six years but my heart is in Ukraine," 38-year-old software developer Mykhailo Vorontsov said, his shoulders draped in his country's flag.

"Putin is gangster. But not a big mafia boss. More of a petty criminal. He's like the school bully."

He is clearly no fan of the Russian president but he accepts not everybody in Ukraine feels like he does.

"It's complicated. A lot of people are brainwashed by Russian propaganda," he says.

"My own father is watching a lot of Russian TV and probably is hoping the occupation forces will come."

But Mykhailo says his dad is always fighting with his mother because she fully supports the Ukrainian government in this conflict.

A lot of people at Thursday's demonstration were urging the British government and other Western nations to step up sanctions against Russia saying current measures were too weak.

But Mykhailo said he was grateful towards UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"I really welcome what he is saying, rallying all the other Western nations and providing military support to Ukraine.

"Of course more sanctions would be better but I believe they are preparing to announce them soon."

Sure enough, Mr Johnson announced sweeping further sanctions against 100 entities and individuals, as well as a ban on the Russian airline Aeroflot.

Mykhailo said sanctions need to target Putin's allies not in Russia close to his Mykhailo's new home.

"It's not like the Cold War now. It's not the Soviet Union versus the West," he said.

"Most of the powerful Russian families and their children, they live in the West. They live in London among us.

"They don't care about Russian citizens. They just want money."