Ukrainians in Lebanon are rallying against Putin's unprovoked invasion

Ukrainians and their supporters in Lebanon rallied outside Moscow's embassy in Beirut on Thursday, after Russia launched an unprovoked invasion of its western neighbour.

Protesters waving Ukrainian flags chanted "Russia go home" and held signs saying "Stop Putin", "Stop Russian aggression", and "We stand with Ukraine" while the Ukrainian national anthem rang out through an audio system, a video from AFP showed.

In response to Putin declaring war on and invading Ukraine today, Ukrainians & their supporters in Lebanon gathered for a protest outside the Russian embassy in Beirut. Protesters chanted "Russia go home" and held signs reading “Stop Putin", "We stand with #Ukraine", among others pic.twitter.com/y6aGWKF2Ek

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) February 24, 2022

The protest came as at least ten civilians and 40 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the Russian bombardments, as Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine on Thursday morning.

"If Ukraine falls, the whole democratic world will fall," Ukrainian-Lebanese student Youssef Tohme, 22, told AFP.

"If you're for freedom, if you are for democracy in the world, you should stand today with Ukraine, because Ukraine is a shield for the democratic free world."

He explained those assembled at the embassy were there to "say stop to the war", and to "Putin's dictatorship" and "aggression against Ukraine".

One woman emotionally led one of the chants, placard in hand.

"We're all brothers: Russia, Belarussia [Belarus], Ukraine," another woman said.

"Why they're coming to our place, to our house, to our parents, to our brothers, to our sisters, to kill our families? Why?"

The US repeatedly cautioned Moscow against its plans to invade Ukraine in recent months.

Russian troops are closing in on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, according to Ukraine's border guards.