The situation in Ukraine is fast-moving and it's clearly not a safe place to be.
But there have been reports of people heading to the country to help to fight the Russian invasion and at the weekend Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated that she "support" anyone from the UK who chooses to go to Ukraine.
Her comments came after the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, made an appeal to volunteers from other countries to come forward, reports Plymouth Live.
Asked on the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme if she would support UK citizens who chose to answer the call, Ms Truss said: “That is something people can make their own decisions about.
“The people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe.
“Absolutely, if people want to support that struggle I would support them in doing that.”
However, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) website makes it clear that anybody who heads to Ukraine to fight could face prosecution when they return.
Under the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870, Britons are prohibited from fighting in foreign wars against countries the UK is at peace with.
The Government website explains that if you do travel to Ukraine "to fight", or to assist people who are engaged in conflict, you could be prosecuted on return.
In more general advice, it states that for those already in Ukraine they should "avoid all demonstrations and take extra care at public gatherings".
It says that the situation in Kyiv and other areas outside Donetsk and Luhansk is "generally calm", but In Kyiv, "the areas around Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) and government buildings such as the Verkhovna Rada (parliament building) and the National Bank of Ukraine are most frequently affected".
The FCDO advises against all travel to Donetsk oblast, Luhansk oblast and Crimea.
The latest advice reads: "The security situation in the south-eastern parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine is highly unstable, with ongoing clashes between Ukrainian armed forces and Russian-backed armed separatists.
"The UN calculates this has resulted in around 13,000 deaths and approximately 1.5 million internally displaced people residing permanently in government-controlled areas of Ukraine. Civilians continue to get caught up in the fighting.
"If you travel to eastern Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK terrorism or other legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.
"The FCDO isn’t able to provide consular services to anyone in the parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts not currently under control of the Ukrainian authorities.
"The Safety and security guidance for the south-eastern parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine was reviewed on 31 March 2021 and remains valid."
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