Ukraine’s deputy prime minister has condemned Russia's “terrorism” in a surprise BBC interview surrounded by sandbags and a Ukrainian flag.
The BBC’s flagship Sunday Morning political show cut to Olha Stefanishyna in the striking surroundings as Putin’s troops ramp up the bombardment of Ukraine.
Ms Stefanishyna warned Russian forces were shelling hospitals, nurseries and schools, and civilian homes with the situation getting “more and more severe”.
With Western officials believing Russian forces are encircling cities to bombard them into submission, Ms Stefanishyna said: “We now see another wave of the fomentation of this terroristic plan of the Russian Federation has started.
“Given the strong resistance our Army showed, now the [operation] is done against the civilian population.”
It came as a second attempt began to evacuate some of the 400,000 residents trapped in Mariupol, with a temporary ceasefire lasting from noon to 9pm local time.
A similar plan had to be abandoned on Saturday after the ceasefire was not fully observed, with both sides trading blame.
Speaking to the BBC, she added: “This evacuation should have started yesterday but we didn’t start it because of the shelling that was ongoing throughout the territory…
“Today hopefully this agreement will be implemented.”
She thanked the West for its support, but warned: “The war is not ending in one or two days - it will presumably be a long-lasting process. We understand nobody should tolerate that.”
She added: “It does not look like (it is on) the agenda for the new wave of sanctions to be introduced by the democratic world."
Olha Stefanishyna said despite agreements over ceasefires, Ukrainians would "never trust" what the Russians say.
The Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme every Ukrainian citizen and politician "knows the Russian playbook by heart".
Ms Stefanishyna hit out at Western leaders who refused to impose a no-fly zone over her country.
"My President was as precise as it is possible and we absolutely support from the bottom of his, of our, hearts (in) everything he says because this is what we feel," she said.
"It is very upsetting when the group of 30 leaders or ministers or even ambassadors are (...) gathering itself in a fancy cabinet, with the fancy furniture, and talking about the fancy thing, knowing that Ukraine was over this table for all of (these) years sitting in this fancy offices.
"But now knowing that we can't be there because we are operating under the bombarding of (the) Russian Federation and knowing that their intelligence also confirms that further severe attacks on the civil population - including carpet bombarding of the cities, which are basically happening these days already in some cities - will be taking place."
