Activist group painted road in front of Russian embassy in Ukrainian colours in London today

A Central London street has been painted blue and yellow in the colours of the Ukrainian flag in an apparent protest outside the Russian embassy this morning (February 23). Pictures shared on social media show Bayswater Road, near Hyde Park in Kensington, awash in blue and yellow with police in attendance.

Four people, three men and one woman, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and obstructing the highway, Met Police have confirmed. They were taken to a West London police station where they remain at this time. Police say they are looking into what happened.

The protest was reportedly staged by campaign group 'Led by Donkeys', saying they did it to mark Friday’s first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The group said in a statement: “Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Putin’s imperialist invasion of Ukraine. Contrary to what the Russian dictator and his apologists claim, Ukraine is an independent state and a people with every right to self-determination. The existence of a massive Ukrainian flag outside his embassy in London will serve to remind him of that.”

The campaign group said they created the flag by spreading 170 litres of yellow paint on the eastbound carriageway and a similar amount of blue paint on the westbound side. Passing traffic then spread the paint along the road.

The activists added that the paint was “high-standard, non-toxic, solvent-free, eco-friendly, fast-dry edible paint designed for making road art”.

Cars can be seen picking up the paint on their tyres and onlookers stopping to observe the protest near the Russian embassy. The paint reportedly spreads from Notting Hill Gate to Kensington Gardens. One Londoner wrote on Twitter: "Haha! It was so weird driving along going "all those tyres are yellow. That's weird..." then realising I was heading towards the blue..."

It comes as more than £225 million has been donated to Ukraine fundraisers on GoFundMe since the country was invaded last year, in one of the greatest “outpourings of generosity” ever seen on the platform.

The fundraising site confirmed to the PA news agency that more than £225,000,000 was contributed from countries around the world since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 2022, forcing millions to flee their homes.

The thousands of fundraisers on the site included large-scale projects and individual efforts including a convoy of London taxis sent to the Polish border and the supply of urgent diabetes medication to a young Ukrainian girl.