HITCHIN: Speaking to Nub News today, Friday (February 25) our town's MP, Bim Afolami has slammed the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling it an 'attack on democracy'.

Mr Afolami condemned the attack by Vladimir Putin's Russia and urged the west to stand with the invaded country.

According Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday morning, 137 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded in the conflict so far.

Speaking to Nub News in Hitchin, Mr Afolami said: "As the Prime Minister has said, this invasion is an attack on democracy and our aim must be to see freedom restored.

"There have been, and will continue to be, severe consequences for the Kremlin's catastrophic and aggressive act through a combination of highly punitive sanctions designed to stall Russia's economy."

Since the invasion, the UK has imposed economic sanctions on Russia including freezing the assets of Russian banks and excluding them from the UK financial system.

Export licences for items which can be used for military purposes will be suspended and Russian airline Aeroflot banned from the UK.

However, British troops will not be sent to support Ukraine due to fears this could trigger a European war, defence minister Ben Wallace confirmed.

St Mary's Church in the heart of Hitchin is welcoming people to pray for peace in Ukraine. Find out more here

Keep reading Nub News for comment from Mr Afolami on various local Hitchin matters very soon.