The Sunday Times says the world “watched in horror” as Russian artillery “pummelled” the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol in violation of a ceasefire to allow civilians to escape. An evacuation from the southern port city along an agreed route had to be suspended within minutes after Russia disregarded it and continued its bombardment, the paper reports. Its headline describes Russia President Vladimir Putin as “merciless”.
The Sunday Post says women, children and elderly people were “trapped” between the besieged cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha with “no way out”. The paper says the Red Cross, which organised the ceasefire, described the scenes as “heart-breaking” as people were left without fresh water or power.
The Sunday Mail leads with the same headline, picturing fleeing evacuees who had taken shelter underneath a destroyed bridge in the outskirts of Kyiv. The paper says Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked fears of nuclear war by “turning his fury” on the UK over its support of Ukraine.
But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned Mr Putin not to “test” the UK, the Sunday Telegraph reports, indicating that more funds could be directed to the light weapons “wreaking havoc” on Russian and aircraft in Ukraine. In an interview with the paper, Mr Wallace said the Russian president would be mistaken if he “underestimated” the UK’s resolve.
The Scottish Mail on Sunday says Prime Minister Boris Johnson has drawn up a “six-point plan” to defeat Mr Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Among the measures, Mr Johnson has called for the creation of an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine, a boost to Kyiv’s military self-defence and a ratcheting up of sanctions against Moscow.
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged the PM to do more and work with him to fast track laws that could prevent Russian oligarchs from suing their critics “into silence” in the UK courts, reports Scotland on Sunday.
The Scottish Sunday Express leads on comments made by the UK’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who has described the war in Ukraine as “the struggle of our generation”. The paper says Ms Truss described the invasion of Ukraine as the moment Western leaders said “enough is enough” after years of Russia breaking international law and now “shattering the European security settlement”.
The Herald on Sunday leads with analysis on why President Putin’s threat to the UK “marks the end of the world as we knew it”. The paper’s columnist Iain Macwhirter writes Russia’s invasion now” tests the boundaries of infamy on a daily basis”.
Away from the Ukraine conflict, The Sunday National reports that Scottish Conservative MP Andrew Bowie will chair the party’s new backbench Union committee – which the paper says is an attempt to “bolster the Union”.
And the Scottish Sun on Sunday leads with the death of Australian cricketer Shane Warne for a second day with a tribute from his ex-partner Elizabeth Hurley. The actress said she felt like “the sun had gone behind a cloud forever”, the paper reports.
