The distraught widow of a Ukrainian army captain killed by Russian forces has led the mourners at his funeral.
Anton Sidorov was killed at the weekend, when shelling took place in eastern Ukraine as tensions mounted further.
On Monday (February 21), Russian president Vladimir Putin formally recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine where Moscow-backed separatists have revolted against Kyiv.
He then ordered troops into the two regions, which the UK says marks an invasion of Ukraine.
The coffin of Anton Sidorov was brought in an army vehicle to a church in the centre of Kyiv, The Mirror reports.
His heartbroken widow Natalia, holding their six-month-old daughter, attended an emotional ceremony at a Ukrainian Orthodox church.
A photograph of Capt Sidorov, a father of three young daughters, was displayed in the front window of his coffin.
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.”
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.
It was then carefully laid in an open sided military vehicle and taken to a local cemetery for a private burial.
Britain is sanctioning three billionaire allies of Vladimir Putin and five Russian banks, Boris Johnson announced today (Tuesday, February 22) under a “first barrage” of punitive measures in response to the “renewed invasion” of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister warned that the Kremlin appeared to be “establishing the pretext for a full-scale offensive” by sending troops in under the guise of being “peacekeepers”.
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