Tearful journalist hits out at Boris Johnson's 'failure to protect Ukrainians from Putin'

Emotional moment journalist who fled Kyiv breaks down as she begs Boris Johnson for Western allies to impose no-fly zone because 'World War III has already started'

Boris Johnson was called-out on Tuesday by a tearful Ukrainian journalist over the West's failure to protect them from 'barbaric' Vladimir Putin.

The PM was accused of being 'afraid' to defend people as he took a press conference on a visit to Poland.

Daria Kaleniuk said women and children were 'taking the hit' because NATO would not enforce a no-fly zone.

'You are not coming to Kyiv PM… because you are afraid,' she said, adding that NATO wanted to avoid World War III but it had 'already started'.

Mr Johnson replied that he was doing what he could be 'can't pretend' that the West would step in militarily.

'Unfortunately the implication of that would be that the UK would be engaged in shooting down Russian planes, engaged in direct combat with Russia, that's not something we can do,' he said.

The confrontation came after Mr Johnson accused Mr Putin of using 'barbaric and indiscriminate tactics' against innocent Ukrainian civilians.

As the invading forces escalated their attacks, he warned that the world was witnessing an 'unfolding disaster'.

Mr Johnson said the UK 'stands ready' to take refugees in 'considerable numbers' - suggesting that could mean more than 200,000.

He also pledged to stay for the long haul, insisting Putin has 'fatally underestimated' the resolve of the West and Ukraine's citizens under the leadership of 'inspirational' Volodymyr Zelensky. He stressed there is still 'more things that we can and will do' on sanctions,

But Ms Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre civil society organisation, stood up to lambast the West's response.

Saying she had recently come over the border from Ukraine, she said her family and friends are still there.

'Ukrainian women and Ukrainian children are in deep fear because of bombs and missiles which are going from the sky. Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the rights to protect our sky, we are asking for a no-fly zone.

'What's the alternative for the no-fly zone?

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