The world’s press scrambled to cover Russia late-night invasion of Ukraine in the largest incursion on European soil since World War II.
Print media across the globe reacted to Russian President Vladimir Putin attack on Ukraine early Thursday morning, documenting the Ukrainian’s struggle to seek refuge and flee the embattled country, and the growing condemnation by world leaders of Putin’s ‘war of choice.’
France’s Le Figaro reported Ukraine was bracing for the Russian invasion, issuing an emergency mobilization of its military and deploying its troops to Kyiv.
The renowned publication called the invasion ‘the war in Europe,’ and featured an editorial about the ‘the return of tragedy,’ on the front page.
The British newspaper The Guardian was direct. ‘Putin invades,’ its front page read, accompanied by a picture of a bandaged and bloodied woman who is quickly becoming the face of the war after an airstrike damaged an apartment complex in Chuhuiv.
The independent also featured the woman, with a close-up shot of her bloodied face, her head bandaged. ‘The bloodshed begins’ read the cover.
Spain’s El Pais wrote ‘Putin launches a massive attack against Ukraine,’ and displayed the haunting picture of a man on his knees, staring vacantly at the cadaver in front of him after a bombardment in Kharkiv.
‘Russians close in on Ukrainian capital,’ The Wall Street Journal reported. The American newspaper went for a picture of the Brovary military base in the outskirts of Kyiv, burning after being hit by airstrikes.
The New York Times wrote on its front page: ‘Russia’s push into outskirts of capital as deaths rise and thousands flee West.’ It dedicated the entirety of its cover to the increasingly alarming conflict.
‘Fighting Rages in Ukraine as Russia invades,’ The Jerusalem Post reported Friday, featuring a shot of airstrikes in Kyiv at dawn.
The Toronto Star chose the wording ‘Russia moves into strike,’ adding a picture of an Ukrainian soldiers bracing for the battle.
The world’s press scrambled to cover Russian’s invasion of Ukraine, which has been unanimously reported as the greatest attack in Europe since World War II
France’s Le Figaro reported on Thursday that Ukraine was bracing for the Russian invasion, issuing an emergency mobilization of its military
The British newspaper The Guardian was more laconic. ‘Putin invades,’ its front page read read, accompanied by a picture of a woman who has become the face of the war
The independent also featured the woman, with a close-up shot of her bloodied face, her head bandaged. ‘The bloodshed begins’ read the cover
El pais wrote ‘Putin launches a massive attack against Ukraine,’ and displayed the haunting picture of a man on his knees, staring vacantly at the cadaver in front of him after a bombardment in Kharkiv
The Toronto Star chose the wording ‘Russia moves into strike,’ adding a picture of an Ukrainian soldiers bracing for the battle
The New York Times wrote on its front page: ‘Russia’s push into outskirts of capital as deaths rise and thousands flee West’
Ukraine’s capital was under bombardment in the early hours of Friday, with the skies ablaze as Vladimir Putin’s tanks moved to within 20 miles of Kyiv.
Bridges leading to Kyiv and to Kharkiv, in the east, were destroyed by Ukrainian forces to try and slow the Russian advance.
Ukraine’s deputy defense ministry said that one missile was shot out of the sky by their anti-missile defense systems.
Another missile struck a residential building in the city, the government said.
A Russian jet was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in a separate incident, the Ukrainian government said.
Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashenko shared footage on social media of a blaze in what he said was the Darnitsky district of Kyiv, in the southeast of the city on the left bank of the Dnipro river.
It was unclear whether the Darnitsky fire was caused by the downed Ukrainian jet, or the Russian missiles.
Air raid sirens were heard on Friday morning in Kyiv and in the city of Lviv to the far west – where the city was left without power.
Hours earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky raged at Western cowards who failed to come to his aid, saying his country is being ‘left alone’ to face Russian troops.
Officials warn that Kyiv will be seized this weekend.
In a video address to his nation after midnight, the president called his fallen compatriots ‘heroes’ after 137 were killed on the first day of fighting, and insisted he will stay until the bitter end.
He said: ‘They’re killing people and turning peaceful cities into military targets. It’s foul and will never be forgiven.
‘We have been left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone.
‘Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid.’
He added that the enemy has already entered Kyiv and urged residents to be vigilant and observe curfew rules, acknowledging he was ‘target number one’.
Smoldering wreckage of a Russian jet is seen in Kyiv on Friday morning
The jet landed in Kyiv, shot down by a Ukrainian missile
On social media, images of bridges blown up by Ukrainian troops were shared. This image was captioned: ‘Departure to the capital via the Novoirpen route is not available The Armed Forces blew up a bridge in Romanivka to prevent the occupiers’ tanks from entering Kyiv’
A Russian tank is seen heading towards Okhtyrka, near Sumy in the east of Ukraine
The Ukrainian capital is expected to be surrounded by Russian forces this weekend and the country’s resistance effectively crippled, US security officials fear.
Troops are already closing in on the seat of Ukrainian power after taking control of the strategic Chernobyl nuclear power plant today, and will seize it within 96 hours, bringing a ‘new Iron Curtain’ down on Europe, Zelensky warned.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Vladimir Putin plans to encircle Ukrainian forces in Kyiv and force them to either surrender or be destroyed, and the leadership of Ukraine could then fall in a week.
A former senior US intelligence officer told Newsweek: ‘After the air and artillery end and the ground war really starts, I think Kyiv falls in just a few days.
‘The military may last slightly longer but this isn’t going to last long.’
A source close to the Ukrainian government said they agreed that Kyiv will be surrounded within 96 hours but believed the government will stay strong and not collapse.
In a bid to thwart the imminent capture of the city, Emmanuel Macron spoke to Vladimir Putin on Thursday night, who gave the French leader an ‘exhaustive’ explanation of his justification for war.
The Kremlin said the call took place at Macron’s initiative, and he and Putin agreed to stay in contact.
Zelensky has also signed a decree on the general mobilisation of the population within 90 days, but men aged 18-60 are banned from leaving the country.
It comes after Russian forces seized control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a ‘fierce’ battle, with the condition of nuclear storage facilities ‘unknown’, sparking fears of a radiation leak that could cause fallout in Europe.
Video revealed Russian tanks and armoured vehicles standing in front of the destroyed reactor, which sits just 60 miles north of the capital Kyiv.
An official said Russian shelling hit a radioactive waste repository and an increase in radiation levels was reported, although this has not yet been corroborated.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is following the situation in Ukraine ‘with grave concern’ and appealed for maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put Ukraine’s nuclear facilities at risk.
Ukrainian presidential advisor Myhailo Podolyak said: ‘After the absolutely senseless attack of the Russians in this direction, it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.’
Meanwhile Turkey reported that one of its ships had been hit by a ‘bomb’ off the coast of Odessa, where fighting is also going on. Turkey is a member of NATO, underlining fears that the war in Ukraine could quickly suck in other states and spark an all-out conflict in Europe.
Fire fighters are seen responding to a blaze at a residential building in Kyiv in the early hours of Friday
The Kyiv apartment block is seen ablaze on Friday morning. It is unclear what caused the fire
Kyiv was ablaze in the early hours of Friday as the city came under attack from Russia. Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashenko shared footage on social media of a blaze in what he said was the Darnitsky district of Kyiv, in the southeast of the city on the left bank of the Dnipro river
Projectiles are seen falling from the sky over Kyiv in the early hours of Friday
Explosions are seen in Kyiv in the early hours of Friday, with a bombardment that began around 4am
Missiles rain down on Kyiv in the early hours of Friday
