KELTY HEARTS star Max Kucheriavyi has launched an online fundraiser to support those affected by the invasion of his Ukrainian homeland as the club said they will "do anything we can" to offer him their support.

The 19-year-old, who joined the club last Monday on loan until the end of the season from St Johnstone, was born in Kyiv and has family living outside of the city.

Two days after he made his debut for Kevin Thomson’s League Two leaders – coming off the bench, and winning the decisive penalty, in a 1-0 derby win over Cowdenbeath, 24 hours after he arrived at the club – Ukraine was invaded by Russia.

Prior to his team’s match at Ross County at the weekend, Saints manager Callum Davidson said he and the Perth club had spoken to Kucheriavyi, who played the full 90 minutes in Kelty’s victory over Annan Athletic on Saturday, to offer their support.

That is being reciprocated by Kelty and, on Wednesday, after the Press went to print, a 'Go Fund Me' page was started by the teenager.

Of a target of £500, £898 has already been donated, with Kucheriavyi noting: "Hi lads, my name is Maksym Kucheriavyi.

"Most of you know where I'm from and have probably heard the story already. All the money will go to the charities."

To donate, click here.

This week, Kelty's assistant manager, Kevin McDonald, told Press Sport: "His family are back in Ukraine, and he stays in a flat in Perth with one of the St Johnstone players. I’d imagine it is a bit worrying for him at the minute but he seems in good fettle.

“I know St Johnstone will be looking after him, and Kelty keep asking if everything’s OK, and if they can do anything for him. We’ll just need to keep an eye on him and make sure everything’s fine.”

Solidarity with Ukraine has been evidenced across the football community over the course of the weekend, and fans at the Annan match showed off the country’s flag to show their support.

“You see it in the elite level of the Premier League, you see all the Ukrainian players there, and he can only take something from that, that everybody’s there for them,” McDonald continued.

“We’ll do anything we can to help him.”

On the pitch, the teenager, who was pictured watching his parent club's defeat to Rangers at McDairmid Park last night draped in his country's flag, has already made a positive impression on his new club, and impressed at Brechin City during the first half of the season, where he scored nine goals in 19 games.

“We needed a new face for a little bit of a lift, that type of player after losing Connor Barron back to Aberdeen,” McDonald said.

“He’s got great energy, he just wants to get better, and he wants to, ultimately, get into St Johnstone’s first team. He’s trying to make his pathway in the game and he can only do that by doing well at Kelty, so it’s perfect for me and Thommo to have a young boy that’s working to try and get better.

“He travels with the ball really well, he can take somebody on, and has great pace and great energy.

“We’ve got a lot of experienced players with great football brains, and we’ve played a lot of games, so we felt like we needed that little injection of youth and a bit of energy and some legs in the team.

“Luckily, it’s worked so far.”