Source: Sky News
Monday 14 March 2022 14:00:12
Ukraine's president has said "it's only a matter of time" before Russia missiles hit the homes of people in NATO countries if a no-fly zone is not set up.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued the warning after more than 30 Russian missiles hit a base about 12 miles from the Polish border - and attacks continued across the country.
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk said attempts will be made today to evacuate trapped civilians through 10 "humanitarian corridors", including from towns near the capital Kyiv and in the eastern region of Luhansk.
"We will, once again, try to unblock the movement of the humanitarian convoy carrying food and medicine to {the port city of Mariupol) from Berdiansk (in southeastern Ukraine)," she said in a video address.
Thirty-five people were killed and 134 injured in Sunday's strike in Yavoriv, which has long been used by Western experts to train Ukrainian soldiers.
It came after Russia said Western military aid convoys - which mostly come via Poland - are now considered legitimate targets.
In other developments
Russia says there has been 'substantial progress' in peace talks
Pregnant woman pictured being evacuated from bombed Mariupol hospital dies with baby
Twenty-one children arrive in UK for 'life-saving' treatment
President Zelenskyy to address Council of Europe at 10.30am UK time
Ukraine's leader awards medals as he visits wounded personnel
Britons who take in refugees will get £350 per month 'thank you' payment'
"Nothing was happening there that could threaten the territory of the Russian Federation," said President Zelenskyy about the base attack.
"And only 20 kilometres away are NATO borders. Last year, I made a clear warning to NATO leaders that if there were no tough preventive sanctions against Russia, it would start a war. We were right."
Poland's deputy foreign minister told Sky News the attack was "highly proactive" and that Russia knows very well where the border is.
President Zelenskyy also used his Sunday message to repeat his plea for Western airpower.
"If you do not close our sky, it is only a matter of time before Russian missiles fall on your territory. NATO territory. On the homes of citizens of NATO countries," he said.
The US and UK have ruled it out, saying it would mean shooting down Russian planes and could trigger a world war.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News' Kay Burley any infringement of Russia into a NATO country "will be a war with NATO".
"If there was an attack on any NATO country, even just a single toe cap of a Russian soldier steps into NATO territory, it will be a war with NATO and NATO would respond.
"There would be a significant response from NATO if there was any kind of attack from Russia, we've been very, very clear on that."
Kyiv suburbs hit by shelling
Overnight, Russian forces fired artillery on suburbs northwest of Kyiv, a major political and strategic target for the invasion, as well as points east of the city, regional administration chief Oleksiy Kuleba said on Ukrainian television.
A town councillor for Brovary, east of Kyiv, was killed in fighting there and shells fell on the towns of Irpen, Bucha and Hostomel, which have seen some of the worst fighting in Russia's stalled attempt to take the capital, Mr Kuleba said.
Sky's special correspondent Alex Crawford has been reporting from a nine-storey apartment building in a northern district of the city which was hit by artillery early on Monday morning, destroying apartments on several floors and igniting a fire.
Firefighters could be seen helping people retrieve their belongings from the burnt out apartments with ladders and other equipment.
At least one person is believed to have been killed in the attack.
Authorities in Ukraine said two people died and seven were injured after Russian forces struck a plane factory in the capital, sparking a large fire.
The Antonov factory is Ukraine's largest aircraft manufacturing plant and is best known for producing many of the world's biggest cargo planes.
'War crimes' being committed by Russia
The UK's Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will travel to The Hague later "to offer Britain's help in helping to gather the evidence" of potential war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Mr Javid told Sky News that Mr Raab would make the trip after he was told a mother and baby who were at a maternity hospital in Mariupol reportedly targeted by Russia had died.
"It's an appalling atrocity. It's a war crime. Because under international law you cannot attack health facilities, hospitals," he said.
Mr Javid said: "In fact, the most recent information I have from the World Health Organisation is they now have documented evidence of at least 31 such attacks of health facilities hospitals, including shelling.
"A couple of days ago of a cancer hospital, as well. So these are war crimes."
Ukraine's general prosecutor office said 90 children had been killed and more than100 injured since the invasion began.
The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said 2.6 million people have now fled Ukraine and predicted that up to 5 million people could become refugees.