Ukrainian residents making 'Ukrainian Smoothie' Molotov cocktails to help defend cities

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the support and solidarity for the besieged nation continue to grow.

In Philadelphia, several groups gathered Sunday on Independence Mall to protest the war.

One group calls itself the Granny Peace Brigade.

"We stand and support you. We salute your efforts to leave the country and to fight Russia," Brigade member Jane Eleey said. "We want your grandchildren to grow up in a world that has peace."

Many Ukrainians are working to find that peace while in the throes of preparations for each new day.

A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a city in southern Ukraine collapsed Sunday amid renewed Russian shelling. Russian President Vladimir Putin turned the blame for the war back on Ukraine and said Moscow's invasion could be halted "only if Kyiv ceases hostilities."

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Russia-Ukraine Crisis (1 of 35)

Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in the port city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire that would allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor, Ukrainian officials said.

Ruslana Petrushko shared videos with Action News of her western Ukrainian community as war ravages neighboring cities.

"We haven't time for the fear, we must stay strong and protect our country," Petrushko said in one video.

We spoke with Petrushko over a video call on Sunday night.

"Russian invasion has destroyed the most beautiful cities in Ukraine. They are erasing the most beautiful cities from the map of Ukraine," Petrushko said.

Ruslana said she is safe in her neighborhood and because of that she has been able to provide safe refuge from those who had left their homes in Kharkiv, Odessa and Kyiv.

"They haven't food, they haven't water, they haven't any help," Petrushko said.

Many in her region are also working to provide resources like military fortification.

She shared images of ordinary citizens assembling camouflage netting.

She also shared a clip of what many in her region call a "Ukrainian Smoothie," better known as a Molotov cocktail.

"I can't say how many every day, but I'm sure in every region in Ukraine people do it," Petrushko said.

Ruslana said she has no plans of leaving her country.

"I decided to stay and help my people and help my nation," she said. "We must stay and help because we are one nation. We must be together and work hard till the day we get victory."

For those living the reality day-to-day, there is much work that needs to be done.

"Pease share the true information about Ukraine," Petrushko said.

"I decided to stay and help my people and help my nation," she added.

Below is a list of other organizations responding to the crisis in Ukraine.

People in Need

People in Need is providing humanitarian aid to more than 200,000 people on the ground in Ukraine. The Czech organization will "provide mainly the most basic needs according to the currently developing situation ... [like] cash assistance, food aid [and] hygiene items" in its first phase of support, according to its website.

People in Need also pledged to support countries experiencing an influx of Ukrainian refugees.

WATCH: Ukrainians leave country as fighting breaks out with Russian forces

Thousands of displaced Ukrainian citizens have escaped to Poland and other parts of Europe since Russian military forces invaded the country.

Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross has had a presence in eastern Ukraine for years to deliver assistance to those affected by the Russian conflict following the annexation of Crimea, according to its website.

The organization is "vowing continued support for the at-risk families in the region" amid growing concerns over displacement, mass casualty and destruction.

The American Red Cross, in particular, is "sending 30 trained staff to Europe to support emergency communication needs of U.S. military members."

Ukrainian National Women's League of America

Sofika Zielyk, a member of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, said the organization is in "full crisis mode" to respond to the invasion.

"This is a war that everybody has to look at and try to help," she told ABC News.

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Donations so far have benefited hospitals in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Luhansk, the organization posted on its Facebook page.

UNICEF

UNICEF is working to assist children and families in Ukraine by making sure their critical needs are met, like access to safe water, health care, education and protection, according to its website.

The organization already has 10 child protection case management mobile teams stationed in the country's east to provide "psychosocial care to children traumatized by the chronic insecurity" of the conflict with Russia.

AIRBNB

Airbnb.org and Airbnb announced that Airbnb.org will offer free, short-term housing to up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.

UNITED HELP UKRAINE

United Help Ukraine (UHU) is working to provide individual first aid kits (containing blood-stopping bandages and tourniquets) and other emergency medical supplies to the front lines.

In addition, UHU is also cooperating with other emergency response organizations to prepare humanitarian aid for civilians that might be directly affected if Russian forces attack.