Ukraine: Journalist Forced To Take Cover Live On Air As Kharkiv 'Encircled By Russian Troops'

A journalist reporting from Ukraine was forced to take cover live on air as loud blasts began to sound in the city of Kharkiv.

Sky News correspondent John Sparks was discussing the ongoing situation in Ukraine in a live broadcast from the country's second-biggest city when he was interrupted by the sounds of explosions ringing out from nearby.

Sparks explained he was unable to start the broadcast earlier as there was a 'long and loud barrage' of incoming artillery fire or rockets, and was saying it 'felt very close to the centre of-' when he was cut off by another blast.

See the broadcast below:

While wearing a protective helmet, Sparks went on to say that the blasts felt 'very close to the centre of the city' and explained he and his cameraperson were taking a position 'by the wall' while reporting from the roof of their hotel.

He continued: 'It's coming from a northerly direction, that's where we think the bulk of the Russian troops are. There are alarms going off now... If a reminder were necessary that this city is in the process of being encircled by Russian troops, this serves as an excellent reminder of that.'

Sparks described the city, which is home to about around 1.4 million people, as 'completely deserted' this morning as residents were urged to seek shelter by the mayor. Towards the end of his broadcast, he explained he was going to 'move in' as the 'intense' rocket fire continued.

Locals have been advised to take cover in subway stations, bomb shelters and basements to protect themselves from the weaponry, while multiple reports from people in Kharkiv have described explosions nearby.

Following the start of the invasion yesterday, Ukraine’s defence ministry said 'fierce fights' were taking place around the city.

Ukraine’s former defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk acknowledged that Russian forces were trying to surround Kharkiv, The Guardian reports, as he said: 'It seems like Kharkiv at the moment is the main target.'

Sparks explained yesterday that offices and schools had been shut in the wake of the attack, while residents fought to get petrol and diesel as they sought to leave the city.

One woman Sparks spoke to at a petrol station said: 'We woke at 5 o'clock from these hits, we were stressed, there was not enough time to take our clothes. I don't know if I took everything important but may God help me, may God help us all... I will sit in my car and pray, we can't [do] anything else.'

Members of the Ukrianian army are said to have taken up positions with tanks and armoured personnel carriers in the city.

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