Singaporean Ix Shen and wife reach western Ukrainian city of Lviv

SINGAPORE — Singaporean Ix Shen has reached the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, after he and his Ukrainian wife, Natalia, left the capital Kyiv as Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine.

In an Instagram video posted on Thursday (Mar 10), the former actor said they were "safe and okay" after arriving in Lviv, which is near the Polish border.

"The reason that we're here is because the owner of the car which we were driving is currently living in the city, so we became valet drivers for him," he said

Mr Shen and his wife have been based in Kyiv for the past four months. He has been providing regular updates to CNA as the situation unfolds in Ukraine.

He had said in an earlier video that he and his wife decided it was not in their "best interests to live extensively underground during the next phase of fighting".

The couple are now considering their next move.

"(I'm) really grateful that we could sleep quietly without the explosions and air raid sirens, but (at the) same time guilty that we are drinking cappuccino and walking in the park," said Mr Shen.

He added there have been air strikes on Lviv as well, and that the influx of people is putting a strain on the city.

"So we're still evaluating all our available options and we're deciding and planning as we move along. But don't worry, we're all safe and okay; everything is good," he said.

On Monday, the mayor of Lviv said the city had reached the limits of its capacity to help people displaced by Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

Mayor Andriy Sadoviy said several hundred thousand people had already passed through the city as they headed west seeking safety.

According to Reuters, About 200,000 internally displaced people were now staying in Lviv, and 50,000 were going through the Lviv railway station daily.

"We understand there will be another wave (of refugees) ... and call on international humanitarian organisations to come here and help," he said. CNA