Ukrainian MPs sing national anthem at emergency parliamentary session in Kyiv

Hundreds of Ukrainian MPs have gathered again for an emergency parliamentary session to pass laws in response to Russia’s invasion and sing their national anthem.

Inna Sovsun, the deputy leader of the Holos Party, was among those at the emergency session in the Verkhovna Rada in the centre of Ukraine’s capital – which Russian bombardments have edged closer to in recent days.

Among several laws passed at the session the MPs extended martial law in Ukraine by 30 days – to April 24 – and approved an extra 2 billion US dollars (£1.5 billion) in military spending.

On Tuesday more than 350 of 425 Ukrainian MPs were present at the session according to Ms Sovsun, who described singing their anthem as “highly emotional”.

In a video she posted to Twitter, Ms Sovsun said: “It’s amazing – singing the national anthem at a time like this was highly emotional.

“We are standing – we hope the world will see that and will help us to keep on fighting.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Russian bombs hit a residential area in Kyiv, including four multi-storey buildings, and caused dozens of deaths.

“(Valdimir Putin) has been trying to capture Kyiv for 20 days,” Ms Sovsun tweeted.

“But MPs are in Kyiv. Government is in Kyiv. President (Volodymyr Zelensky) is in Kyiv.

“Today we have passed several important laws that will help us defeat Russia. Staying strong!”

Asked if she would like to add any other comments, Ms Sovsun told the PA news agency: “We are still asking for a no-fly zone.

“How many more kids should die to make it finally clear to our partners that the no-fly zone over the sky in the very heart of Europe is a necessity, not our whim?”