Moscow under pressure

Russia faced mounting diplomatic pressure yesterday to end its war in Ukraine, as G20 allies and critics alike rued the painful global impact of nearly nine months of conflict.

A draft communique obtained by AFP showed the world's 20 leading economies coming together to condemn the war's effects, but still divided on apportioning blame.

As the summit continues in Bali, two residential buildings in the Ukraine capital were hit by two Russian missiles yesterday, the mayor of Kyiv said, following reports that air raid sirens were sounding in all regions of the Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov left the summit as the missiles hit the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian cities of Lviv in the west and Kharkiv in the east were also attacked by Russia yesterday, officials said.

The G20 summit has shown that even Russia's allies have limited patience with a conflict that has inflated food and energy prices worldwide and raised the spectre of nuclear war.

Risking diplomatic isolation, Russia was forced to agree that the "war in Ukraine" -- which Moscow refuses to call a war -- has "adversely impacted the global economy".

It also agreed that "the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons" is "inadmissible", after months of President Vladimir Putin making such threats.

The embattled Russian leader has skipped the summit, staying at home to reckon with a string of embarrassing battlefield defeats and a grinding campaign that threatens the future of his regime.

Rubbing salt in Russia's wounds, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky told leaders from China's Xi Jinping to America's Joe Biden that they could "save thousands of lives" by pressing for a Russian withdrawal.

Leaders must now sign off on the final text before the summit ends today.