Threat to capital sparks fear of Grozny-like destruction

Russia accused of committing war crimes in Kharkiv assault

- DAVID HARDING INTERNATIONAL EDITOR

Russia warned residents to flee their homes yesterday as it threatened “high-precision” strikes on Kyiv, over fears that an increasingly belligerent Vladimir Putin could be preparing to reduce the Ukrainian capital to rubble.

Moscow said it would target security and communications sites in the city, moments before a missile attack on a television tower killed five people. As a 64km-long (40 mile) convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles slowly advanced on the city, Russia’s defence ministry told Kyiv’s residents living close to intended targets to abandon their homes, without giving any information.

The direct threat raised fears the war is about to enter a far more deadly phase. Boris Johnson said Mr Putin could be tempted to “Grozny-fy” Kyiv – a reference to the capital of Chechnya that was so badly attacked by Russian forces two decades ago that the UN called it the most destroyed city on Earth.