Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Clive Myrie shelters underground as fighting comes ‘closer to heart of Kyiv’

The 57-year-old BBC presenter has been delivering regular broadcasts from the Ukrainian capital.

Alex Green
Monday 28 February 2022 19:54 GMT
Clive Myrie (BBC/PA)
Clive Myrie (BBC/PA) (PA Media)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

BBC broadcaster Clive Myrie has taken shelter underground after the building he was reporting from in Ukraine was shaken by nearby missile fire.

He has been reporting on the Russian invasion from the capital Kyiv, often alongside the corporation’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet.

Writing on Twitter on Monday, the broadcaster and Mastermind host said the blast was the closest to their base yet and that it shook the windows.

He also shared a short video of the explosion, as seen from across the Kyiv skyline.

Myrie, 57, tweeted: “Now back in the underground shelter in Kyiv, our position shaken by nearby missile fire.

“Windows shook. Closest blast yet to our base. Fighting coming closer to heart of #kyiv.”

His work attracted praise from fellow journalists including former BBC and GB News newsreader Simon McCoy, who replied: “You are doing an amazing job. Look after yourselves.”

World At One presenter Sarah Montague said: “Watching @CliveMyrieBBC makes me feel very proud that I work at the BBC. He is a class act.”

Last week, Myrie and his colleague Doucet swiftly put on flak jackets after they were interrupted by an air raid siren during a live broadcast from a rooftop opposite St Michael’s Cathedral.

He later told the PA news agency: “You’ve got to be aware that you are in the middle of a warzone, a live warzone, and anything could happen.

“None of us are stupid enough to stay out there reporting while bullets are raining down, that would be madness and frankly no story is worth that, but the advice was we could still keep broadcasting as long as we took the minimal protection of putting on safety gear.

“So that’s what we did and it meant we could continue telling the story, getting that across to our viewers so that they understand what is going on.”

Myrie has reported on the ground from locations across the world including Tokyo, Paris, Vietnam, Los Angeles, and Iraq during the 2003 war.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in