• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Ukraine: Journalist Forced To Take Cover Live On Air As Kharkiv 'Encircled By Russian Troops'

Home> News

Updated 11:40 25 Feb 2022 GMTPublished 11:39 25 Feb 2022 GMT

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

Sky News correspondent John Sparks was reporting live from the country's second-biggest city when he was interrupted by sounds of explosions

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

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.

Advert

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.'

Advert

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.

Advert

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.

Advert

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Featured Image Credit: Sky News

Topics: Ukraine, Russia, World News, Life, Vladimir Putin, Viral

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Teen dies aged 14 just days after contracting infection as doctor issue urgent warning

    William Hand tragically died on June 8 at the age of 14

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies suddenly aged 55 as police release heartbreaking details

    Anne Burrell's family confirmed her death on June 17

    Celebrity
  • 3 hours ago

    88 children removed from Bible study camp as part of shocking human trafficking investigation

    The Christian camp has insisted parents are still happy to send their children

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Popular smartphone banned on all planes is still in circulation amid concerns of it overheating and exploding

    Some people on TikTok admitted they were still using the phone, despite it being recalled

    News
  • Putin's general makes disturbing demand claiming World War 3 has 'already begun' after Iran nuclear site bombing
  • Russian sources reveal alleged conditions to end Ukraine war as spokesperson proposes date for 'peace talks'
  • Vladimir Putin speaks out following reports Russian air defence shot down plane that killed 38 passengers
  • Donald Trump threatens Putin with ‘further sanctions’ as he demands ceasefire in Ukraine