The former Miss Ukraine has taken up arms against Russia

And pledged to fight for her country

The former Miss Ukraine, Anastasiia Lenna, who competed for Ukraine in the Miss Grand International beauty contest in 2015, has joined thousands of fellow Ukrainian civilians in the battle against invading Russian troops.

Lenna has uploaded several Instagram posts since the Russian troops launched their invasion on her native Ukraine on Wednesday, urging her fellow countrymen, particularly women to join the fight.

In a much-viewed Instagram story on Sunday the former model shared a video of herself practicing her aim at a firing range in Kyiv.

She wrote in the caption: “Training. The invaders will die on our land! All world see this! Wait and see what will happen.

“… Anyone who wants to join the defence of security in Europe, the world can come and stand side by side with Ukrainians against the invaders of the 21st century. Ask your embassy.”

In another Instagram post from today, Lenna uploaded a video montage of visceral scenes captured of the conflict over the last six days. In the caption Lenna tells her 233k followers that: "All pictures in my profile (are) to inspire people. I had a normal life just on Wednesday, like millions people."

"I don’t do any propaganda except showing that our woman of Ukraine - strong, confident and powerful.

"On February 24 Russian federation step on our lands and begin to kill civil people, women, children.

"Ukrainian people have no guilt. Non(e) of us have any guilt. We are on our lands! We can stop all this together. Share information about situation. Ask @nato to close sky!"

Meanwhile, a female Ukrainian MP who has also taken up arms to defend the country’s capital city from the Russian invasion has said she will do so “as long as needed”.

Kira Rudik, the leader of the Voice party, said she was confident she should could shoot a Russian soldier if one came to her home

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland today, the MP said: “I don’t have any plans to leave, this is my city, this is my country, and I plan to defend it for as long as will be needed.

“There is no chance that some Russian crazy dictator would be able to push me away from where I live and where I love.”