Last month marked one year since Russia’s President Vladimir Putin launched a brutal, illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Thousands of innocent civilians have been killed, and millions more have been forced out of their homes and their country.

In fact, since the invasion, more than eight million Ukrainians have been displaced across Europe. The vast majority are women and children. Over 200,000 Ukrainians have come to the UK, with many settling here in North Ayrshire – a place they now call home – and I’m personally proud of the way that local residents have made them feel welcome, as well as how we have supported Ukraine directly.

The fantastic efforts of Cranberry Moss Community Centre in Kilwinning comes to mind; the hub provides a central point of support to refugees. The community centre allows Ukrainians to celebrate their own culture by hosting celebrations, watching religious services, showing football games and facilitating cultural festivals. On top of offering education and language classes, the hub is also a central point for the donation and collection of items such as toys, clothes and homeware.

I would also like to pay tribute to all families in North Ayrshire who have housed a Ukrainian family and in particular, the charity volunteers for Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline who have provided a service to Ukraine’s children since 1986; they initially helped children flee dangerous level of radiation, and now they are helping children to flee a warzone. The volunteers at Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline know, just as we all do, that childhood is precious which is why it must be protected as much as possible throughout this crisis.

Finally, it is important to credit the fantastic effort from local and national government in fighting this conflict. From the UK Government providing £2.3 billion in military aid towards the Ukrainian defence effort, to the Scottish Government’s provision of funds to help councils like our own house Ukrainian refugees in the area.

In fact, the £486,000 awarded to North Ayrshire Council will allow five blocks of three-storey flats at Glebe Place in Saltcoats, which was previously scheduled for demolition, to be upgraded and brought back into use for a period of three years. These flats will be used to resettle Ukrainians who have fled their homes.

Ultimately, Putin underestimated Ukraine. He planned to seize the country in just three days, but now, over a year later, Ukrainians are still fighting, regaining territory, and standing strong.

That’s because Putin also underestimated the rest of the world. As an international community, we have done severe, tactical and unprecedented damage to Russia’s economy, damaging his war machine. As a nation we welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees and have been the leading voice in support for Ukraine. In North Ayrshire, we have played a massive role in Ukraine’s defence.

From local, national to international, every single one of us have banded together to show Ukraine that they are not in this fight alone. We will continue to be their loudest voice and lead the way in winning this war.

Slava Ukraini