A BBC journalist reporting from Kyiv has been filmed dramatically ducking for cover live on air as explosions rang out across the Ukrainian capital.
Correspondent Hugo Bachega was live on air in Kyiv on Monday morning reporting in the aftermath of the destruction of the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia and Crimea.
Viewers were left shocked to see Mr Bachega interrupt his live report on how Russian forces have been retaliating for the destruction of the bridge by ducking for cover as explosions could be heard.
A BBC anchor then told viewers: “Hugo Bachega our correspondent in Kyiv for obvious reasons taking cover at that point.
“Just talking us through the latest with regard to Ukraine and Russia following the explosion on the bridge.”
The broadcaster made contact with him and his camera crew around an hour later and it assured viewers that they are all safe and well.
Russia has unleashed a wave of strikes targeting Ukrainian cities, striking several civilian and infrastructure targets.
Among them was a strike on downtown Kyiv where at least eight people were killed.
The sudden escalation in attacks came after Vladimir Putin called the destruction of the Kerch Bridge “a terrorist act”, accusing Ukrainian special forces of masterminded the explosion.
According to Rostyslav Smirnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs, at least eight people were killed and 24 were injured in just one of the Kyiv strikes.
Putin is due to hold a meeting with his security council later Monday as he seeks desperately to recoup humiliating battlefield losses in areas Russia is trying to annex from Ukraine.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, has called Russia’s firing of missiles into Ukrainian cities “unacceptable”.
He retweeted comments by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “terrorist who talks with missiles".
“I communicated with Dmytro Kuleba this morning to reinforce the UK’s ongoing moral and practical support to Ukraine,” he said.
“This is a demonstration of weakness by Putin, not strength.”
