Ukraine crisis: Geof Parry reports from Lviv during Russia’s invasion

TV journalist Geof Parry has reported on the chaotic scenes in the Ukraine, giving a first-hand account of a missile attack as Russia declared war.

Reporting from the west Ukrainian city of Lviv, on the Polish border, the 7NEWS reporter told how he witnessed some of the first attacks authorised by Russian President Vladimir Putin in its invasion of the country.

“We saw a missile fired from an airport just south of here in the west,” he said.

SEE GEOF PARRY’S REPORT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

“So it seems to suggest that Mr Putin intends to invade all of the Ukraine not just part of it.”

Parry told how Russian tanks had been seen moving across the Ukraine-Belarus border about an hour north of Kyiv and cruise missiles had attacked military bases.

But he said the Ukrainian military was fighting back and had shot down five Russian jets and a helicopter.

Parry said Ukrainian people had been rushing to flee the country, with major highways gridlocked near the Polish border and long hold-ups at border control.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had carried out missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and border guards, and that explosions had been heard in many cities.

He said that martial law had been declared and reservists were called up on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian government has closed airports in eastern Ukraine while it warned its airlines to stay away from that disputed zone.

Airlines are also avoiding Russian air space to the east of Ukraine.

Ukrainian aviation authorities are warning of attempts by Russia to take control of the airspace and to only listen and respond to Ukrainian controllers.