A journalist covering the war in Ukraine has described one of the most devastating scenes he’s ever witnessed in 40 years on the job.

Nine News senior journalist Mark Burrows has been based in Kyiv, where Russian troops have failed to gain ground.

“That’s the big news as far as Kyiv’s gone,” he told Neil Breen.

“The Russians have been really, really pushed back to that border and it’s a big success for the Ukrainian army.”

Mark said while the Ukrainian defenders paint an inspiring story across the city, the tragedy is in the families forced to flee their homes.

3.6 million and counting. In 40 years of reporting nothing more heartbreaking watching Ukrainian mothers and their children flee the country. Remember one man has done this.#SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/OFq3p9fPMi

— Mark Burrows (@MarkWBurrows) March 24, 2022

“I [saw] today one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve seen in 40 years of my job: there were lines and lines of women and children still coming out through the border.

“I know you’ve seen the pictures and I know everyone might say ‘Oh yeah, we’ve seen all that’ but until you see it with your own eyes…

“They were extraordinary because they were ordinary.

“When you see this, it is absolutely heartbreaking to watch all these families pass through the border.”

Press PLAY below to hear more on the refugee crisis and the eerie scenes in Kyiv 

Image: Mark Burrows / Twitter