Appalling Invasion: Sir Richard Branson Meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

In the country’s long-contested eastern province, Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine’s last stronghold.

According to report, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson travelled to Ukraine to meet president Volodymyr Zelensky and see some of the devastation wrought by Vladimir Putin’s “appalling invasion”.

Following an invitation from the Ukrainian leader, the entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Group met with Mr Zelensky, foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and a group of Ukrainian business leaders on Wednesday.

Sir Richard said the purpose of the meeting was to “learn what business, in partnership with civil society and governments, can do to support Ukraine most effectively”.

After visiting a residential area with a destroyed kindergarten that was recently hit by a Russian missile strike, Sir Richard travelled to Gostomel Airport to see the remains of Antonov AN-225, the world’s largest transport plane that had been known as Mriya (Dream).

Sir Richard said: “It is clear these kinds of attacks are not unintended and arbitrary. They are part of a deliberate strategy to spread fear and terror among Ukraine’s civilian population.

“I hope the Russian perpetrators of these shocking acts will be held to account.”

The Virgin founder called the visit to the war-torn country a “humbling and emotional experience”.

“I remembered Kyiv very well from previous visits in 2014 and 2015. It’s a beautiful capital, with a stunning historic cityscape built along the banks of the majestic Dnieper,” he added.

“But the scars of war are inescapable throughout this sprawling city, most notably in the burned-out shells of residential buildings hit by indiscriminate Russian airstrikes and missile attacks.”

In a statement from Mr Zelensky’s office about Sir Richard’s visit, the president said the pair discussed the issue of maintaining the “world’s attention to the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.

“The billionaire noted that he constantly supports our state, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the introduction of the toughest sanctions against Russia and those who support and finance the war,” it said.