Newspaper headlines: 'Defiant' Ukraine faces 'barbaric' attacks
- Published
A TV tower in Kyiv was struck by a Russian missile on Tuesday
The Telegraph says Ukraine's president has "begged" the West to intervene to stop a genocide in his country, after a Russian missile struck a television tower close to the Holocaust memorial in Kyiv. The paper highlights a Twitter post by Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he warned of "history repeating".
The Times says, external the memorial commemorates the deaths of more than 30,000 Jews who were shot by the Nazis in their assault on Kyiv in 1941. It quotes Britain's ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, who described the missile strike as "stark staring proof" of the "sickening hollowness" of President Putin's claim that Russia was attempting to denazify its neighbour.
The Mail urges, external its readers to "pray for Kyiv" after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that Mr Putin planned to reduce the capital "to rubble". It says the Kremlin issued a "chilling warning" to the city's three million residents - ordering them to leave or face bombardment.
The Sun focuses, external on what it calls a "serpent of death" - the 40-mile convoy of Russian tanks, artillery and armoured vehicles snaking through Ukraine as it advances on Kyiv.
The paper suggests the "terrifying force" is almost certain to fan out to encircle the city in the coming days "before blasting its way through civilian neighbourhoods in a bloody final push".
The Guardian highlights, external what it calls the "desperate rush" for the last train departing from Kyiv. Its reporting conveys the sense of panic at the railway station, noting the "piercing screams" of children as thousands of people surged forward to try to secure a "prized place" on a ride to safety.
"Look at these faces," one woman tells the paper. "They are exactly the same as in the photographs from World War Two, and it's just five days. Can you imagine what will happen in a month?"
The despair of those who failed to board the train is vividly described, including a woman who "leaned against a pillar, dejected, tears falling on the cat she was cradling in her arms".
The Financial Times says, external China has signalled it is ready to play a role in finding a ceasefire in Ukraine. Beijing issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was "extremely concerned about the harm to civilians" - and the FT sees this as a "change in tone" after China previously described the US as the "culprit" in the crisis.
The Times uses its leader column, external to urge President Xi to do more, arguing that in a world held together by bonds of trade and finance there is nothing to be gained by a return to a geopolitical order of polarised groupings.
"It is within Mr Xi's power to call Mr Putin to heel," it says. "He should do so."
The front pages of the Express, external and the Mirror, external both feature the same image of Ukraine's President Zelensky - raising his fist in what the Express calls "an act of strength and valour" as he addressed EU politicians via video-link yesterday.
"Blitzed but never beaten," says its headline. The Mirror says Mr Zelensky was "defiant" as he warned President Putin that Ukrainians would fight to the death against his forces, insisting "nobody will break us".
