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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Andy Lines & Laura Sharman

Widow's tears at funeral of Ukrainian army captain killed by Russian forces

Mourners gathered in Kyiv this morning for the funeral of a Ukraine army captain killed by Russian forces.

The coffin of Anton Sidorov was brought in an army vehicle to a church in the city centre.

His distraught widow Natalia, holding their six-month-old daughter, led the mourners in an emotional ceremony at an Ukrainian Orthodox church.

A photograph of Capt Sidorov, a father of three young daughters, was displayed in the front window of his coffin.

He was killed at the weekend when tensions peaked between Ukraine and Russia with President Vladimir Putin sending troops to invade on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: "Ukrainian intelligence officer Capt Anton Sidorov died as a result of shelling from artillery weapons, which is prohibited by the Minsk agreements.”

Captain Anton Sidorov (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

Dozens of colleagues and friends crammed into the church in the shadow of Dynamo Kiev’s stadium.

Clutching bunches of red roses and carrying lit candles, they listened as a choir sang hauntingly over the open casket.

Many of Capt Sidorov’s army comrades were in tears as they bade him a final goodbye.

After the service his coffin was carried out of the church by eight soldiers.

Natalia wept at her husband's funeral on Tuesday (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)
The brave mum led mourners at the ceremony (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

It was then carefully laid in an open sided military vehicle and taken to a local cemetery for a private burial.

A day of shelling and false flag attacks took place in eastern Ukraine at the weekend as the wheels of Russia's war machine started to turn, western leaders said.

Speaking at the time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said an invasion appeared to be "in motion" but that it might still be possible to avoid war.

The funeral of Anton Sidorov was held in Kiev (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

On Monday, Mr Putin fanned the flames of an eight-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Russian president ordered troops into two breakaway regions of Ukraine marking an invasion of the country, the UK declared.

He formally recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine where Moscow-backed separatists have revolted against Kyiv.

Explosions were heard in the city of Donetsk last week while a loudspeaker asked its citizens to exercise caution.

The funeral came a day after Putin sent troops into Ukraine (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said everyone was "waking up to a very dark day in Europe" after Mr Putin's formal recognition of the regions.

A dawn COBRA meeting was held on Tuesday chaired by Mr Johnson who met to discuss a "barrage of sanctions" on Russia.

He said Mr Putin appeared to be "bent on a full scale invasion of the Ukraine" and warned the result would be "catastrophic".

Anton Sidorov who's funeral was in Kiev Tuesday (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

The Prime Minister is expected to give a statement on the new sanctions plan to MPs on Tuesday.

The Russian ambassador was called in by the Foreign Office after Mr Putin decided to send "peacekeeping" forces into Ukraine.

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