Clive Myrie has escaped Kyiv, the Bolton-born BBC presenter has said. The 57-year-old journalist bravely stayed in the Ukrainian capital until the very last moment.
He has now been forced to leave. Posting on social media, Mr Myrie shared some thoughts on the devastating Russian invasion, the Mirror reports.
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"It was a long, day of driving and queuing to get out of Kyiv," the veteran foreign correspondent said. "Imagine having to leave all you know in a hurry because you’re being shelled! What do you pack? Do pets come too? It’s freezing cold and you pray those in neighbouring countries will welcome you, not despise you!
"My thoughts are with the 1million who’ve fled #Ukraine because they might be killed. The millions who fled Syria and many other millions escaping repression, poverty, war. They all pray they’ll be welcomed in other countries as human beings. That’s all they ask 2/2 refugees."
Twitter users shared their heartbreak over his reflection on the situation, with one writing: "Heart is breaking for everyone. I wish I could do something but stuck in Middle England feeling so ashamed of our government. Hugging our dog and girls extra tight every night feeling extraordinarily grateful. But for the grace...#UkraineRussianWar #IStandWithUkraine."
While another commented: "I literally cry everyday. I think about everyone first thing through to night. I know this may sound strange, but I almost feel guilty for having a warm home, hot food, drinking wine & lay in bed thinking I wish they were all doing the same. We sleep, they fight."
A third wrote: "And what do you do if, like me, you have a disabled teenager in a wheelchair, who needs a constant supply of meds? There must be thousands of people in that situation. It's bad enough for the able-bodied; impossible for anyone less nimble. It's the stuff of nightmares."
Users also thanked him for his reporting and said that they were glad to hear that he and the rest of the team were OK.
One tweeted: "Thank you for your reports and tweets. It’s incredibly painful to watch and listen. Hard feeling so helpless. In shock what a human being can do to millions. How do we live knowing so many are suffering thousands of miles away? Thank you to you and your crew."
It comes as the situation in the Ukraine continues to escalate after Putin's troops fired on two British journalists during a terrifying ambush on Friday.
Stuart Ramsay, chief correspondent at Sky News, was hit by a bullet in the lower back as bullets rained down on a car carrying his crew towards Kyiv on Monday.
Camera operator Richie Mockler was also hit with two rounds to his body armour before the team managed to escape and take cover. They were later rescued by Ukrainian police.
It is understood that the whole crew, including Sky News' Dominque van Heerden and Martin Vowles and local producer Andrii Lytvynenko, are now safe.
Viewers have been urging Clive to leave Kyiv for some time over fears for his safety, with the journalist forced to shelter underground amid missile fire.
He touched viewers last month after first landing in the Ukrainian capital when he appeared to shed a tear as he reported on the bloodshed.
READ MORE: BBC's Martin Roberts sobs outside Costco after trying to buy goods for Ukrainian refugees
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