Ukraine footballer unveils a trident emblem in support of his homeland

Roman Yaremchuk unveiled an emblem in support of his native Ukraine after scoring for Benfica against Ajax in their Champions League last-16 first leg tie.

The substitute netted late on to level up the game at 2-2, and took off his shirt to reveal a trident symbol emblazoned onto a black top he was wearing underneath.

His celebration saw him reveal the Ukrainian Association of Football's logo, although he was booked by the referee despite the show of unity with his homeland.

Yaremchuk steered a header home with 18 minutes left on the clock after goalkeeper Remko Pasveer pushed Goncalo Ramos' effort back out into the danger zone.

The trident has been considered a national symbol in Ukraine for over 100 years.

It is not the first time that Ukraine's athletes have rallied behind their country.

On Tuesday, Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko wrote on Instagram: 'We will not give up what is ours! Glory to Ukraine.'

Zinchenko, 25, has also thrown his weight behind Yaremchuk's gesture. On the same platform, he posted a photo of the touching moment alongside bicep emojis.

A state of emergency has been declared and approved by parliament in the country, meaning that they have officially been placed on a war footing.

Now, 200,000 military reservists have been called up, border zones have been restricted and three millions Ukrainians were told to leave Russia.

Kyiv has now officially acknowledged that an attack vetoed by Vladimir Putin may now take place anywhere, at any time, in the eastern European nation.

Tonight, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky says that Russia has amassed 'nearly 200,00 troops' on the borders, as well as 'thousands of combat vehicles'.

In his late-night televised speech, he spoke Russian to 'address Russian citizens as a citizen of Ukraine'.

He said: 'The Ukrainian people want peace. The Ukrainian authorities want peace.'

Moscow-backed rebel leaders in the east of Ukraine have asked Putin for military assistance in fending off alleged Ukrainian 'aggression', meanwhile.

This has sparked concerns that Putin will use this as an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The move comes after the United States warned the Ukrainian government Russia's troops are 'ready to go', with 80 per cent of them assembled in attack positions.

Joe Biden has warned his counterpart Zelensky of an 'imminent attack' in the next 48 hours, and Ukraine's government and banks have also been hit by a cyberattack.

Ukraine's security agency claimed 45,000 body bags have been ordered to the Russian frontlines, after president Biden said supplies of blood were also brought in.