A Ukrainian ship's captain docked in Liverpool today said Russian troops massacred around 33 unarmed civilians in his home town of Kherson this week.
But Grandad-of-two Volodmyr Sodorenko, master of the Elbstrom cargo vessel, has been working at sea for weeks and has no idea when he will be able to return to his family in Ukraine.
Volodmyr, 59, left his home to work on the ship on December 29 and described how he has been desperately trying to maintain contact with his wife, two daughters and grandchildren while away at sea.
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Volodmyr is one of many Ukrainian sailors left in turmoil by the catastrophe facing his home country - and has spent recent weeks serving alongside three Russian crew members.
He told the ECHO: "We don't talk about it, I don't want to ask their opinion. We have to work together, what can we do."
Volodmyr said in recent hours communication networks have gone down in Kherson, which remains the only city the Russian invaders have taken full control of.
He said: "In the last hour, communication was closed in Kherson. I had information from my friends in other cities that there is communication breakdown and Vodafone and Kyiv Star and mobile communications was closed by Russian troops.
"All of my family are in Kherson, they have been underground as it was bombed by rockets. My family they are scared, and the grandchildren don't know what is going on.
"My neighbour, he had a rocket hit his house. He was not injured but he lost his hearing.
"For three days it has been quiet because the Russians are here and control it, but many people have been killed, and not just military, also citizens."
Volodmyr described chilling reports from his friends back home about an alleged massacre in the east of Kherson, as Russian forces flooded into the city.
He said: "When they entered on the entry street from the east of Kherson three days ago, when the troops entered the street was blocked by citizens with Ukrainian flags, they had no weapons, they tried to block them.
"The Russians soldiers shot 33 of them."
Volodmyr also said his friends in Kherson claim the Russians are looking to stage scenes suggesting Putin's forces are being welcomed as liberators.
According to information from home, Russian forces were transporting "many people" into Kherson from the Crimea region, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, to act as though they welcomed the Russian invasion for propaganda purposes.
Volodmyr described the situation in Ukraine as a "human catastrophe" and said he believes "World War Three has already started."
When asked when he thought he may be able to return home, he said: "I do not know."
The plight of Ukrainian sailors was highlighted by ecumenical charity Liverpool Seafarers Centre (LSC), which has been providing emotional support to ship crew members struggling with the impact of the conflict in Ukraine.
The charity said Ukrainians serving at sea while war is raging in their homeland are increasingly anxious about the safety of their loved ones.
They are also facing growing difficulties getting in contact with people back home and uncertainty about how, when and if they can return to their country.
LSC has been supplying Ukrainian crewmen and women with free SIM cards to help them contact home.
LSC chief executive John Wilson said the charity has been in contact with seafarers from both Ukraine and Russia, in some cases members of the same ship’s crew, to offer its support.
Mr Wilson said: "There is a feeling of helplessness, a lot of uncertainty and a lot of worry.
"We have reached out to seafarers docked here and stressed that we are here to listen if people want to talk about anything and that we will give what support we can in what is a terrible situation for them.
“We’re visiting vessels and hearing heart-breaking stories, including people whose family members are fleeing Ukraine and who had lost contact with them.
“They didn’t know where they were or when they would be able to see them again. It is so distressing.
“Another crew member from the Ukraine, whose contract is coming to an end simply told me, ‘I haven’t got a home to go to any more’.”
According to figures from last year, 198,123 (10.5%) of seafarers are Russian, while Ukraine accounts for 76,442 (4%).
John says that on ships docked in Liverpool where crew members are from Ukraine and Russia there is no sign of any conflict between them.
He said: "I spoke to a Russian seafarer yesterday and he told me, ‘We are all family'".
Mr Wilson said sanctions are also presenting Russian seafarers with difficulties, including accessing pay, travel and access to ports.
LSC said with movement out of Ukraine impossible, and growing problems for Russian crews, ship managers have reportedly started to ask staff at sea to extend their contracts to fill the gaps.
Mr Wilson added: “As an ecumenical charity, we echo the thoughts of religious leaders such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope and we’d urge people to remember Ukraine and the people affected by these terrible events in their prayers and in their thoughts."
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